WARNING: Distrubing content
After five months of listening to witness testimony and evidence, jurors at the second-degree murder trial of Andrew Berry are now in deliberations.
Berry has pleaded not guilty in the deaths of his daughters, four-year-old Aubrey and six-year-old Chloe. The bodies of the sisters were found on their beds in their father’s Victoria apartment on Christmas Day in 2017.
Jurors heard how both girls had been stabbed multiple times while Berry was found naked and injured in the bathtub.
Berry had testified he was stabbed by an unknown attacker after taking the girls out sledding.
The Crown’s theory is Berry killed his daughters Christmas morning, and then tried to kill himself, all of which he has denied.
In her instructions to the jury, Madam Justice Miriam Gropper said they must make every reasonable effort to reach a verdict.
"You may accept all, part, or none of Mr. Berry’s evidence," Gropper said.
Gropper went over some of the testimony heard in the case, and the positions of Crown and defence.
"You must not find Mr. Berry guilty unless you are sure he is guilty. Even if you believe Mr. Berry is probably guilty or likely guilty, that is not sufficient," Gropper said.
Gropper also went over the available verdicts for each count of second-degree murder: guilty, guilty of the lesser included charge of manslaughter, or not guilty.
The decision of the 12-person jury must be unanimous. Gropper told jurors if they are unable to reach a unanimous verdict, they must inform the sheriff.
Jurors were also told they are able to ask questions of Gropper during deliberations by sending inquiries in a sealed envelope to be delivered by the sheriff.
Deliberations got underway Tuesday afternoon.
CTV News Vancouver will closely follow any developments and bring you the latest.
