THUNDER BAY - A second witness who was inside the Dufferin Street apartment where 32-year-old Irene Barkman was attacked testified to seeing Peter Keeash standing over her, but during cross-examination, his memory of the events was questioned.
The witness was called to testify by the Crown on the fourth day of the second-degree murder trial against Keeash for his alleged role in the 2018 death of Barkman. Keeash has pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder charge, as well as to two counts of uttering threats to cause death and one count of forcible confinement.
According to the witness, he lived at the apartment for several years prior to the night of Oct. 29, 2018. It was around that time that Keeash arrived and was staying there for approximately a week.
Barkman and two other individuals were also present the evening of Oct. 29 and were consuming alcohol. One of the individuals present testified earlier in the week that she saw Keeash punch Barkman three times and threatened her and another individual in the living room.
The witness said he was cooking in the kitchen when he heard a commotion coming from the other room.
“I heard a thud in the living room,” he testified. “I went to the living room to see what it was. That’s when I saw Peter on top of Irene.”
Keeash was also raising his arm up and down according to the witness. He returned to the kitchen and when he entered the living room a second time, he said he saw Barkman on the floor in a pool of blood.
Soon after, the witness said he heard sirens, firefighters and paramedics entered the apartment to care for Barkman. After she was removed on a stretcher, the witness said he began to clean the blood from the floor until he was advised by a police officer to stop because it was considered a crime scene.
Barkman died in hospital two days later, with the cause of death linked to a stab wound on her neck that punctured an artery and prevented her brain from receiving enough oxygen.
During cross-examination, defense counsel George Joseph asked the witness about how much alcohol he consumed that day and if it affected his memory.
He said he disagreed that it affected his memory but Joseph pointed out that in his original statement to police on Oct. 29, 2018 and during a second statement in November 2018 he told officers that he had been drinking and it may have played a role in his memory.
“It affected my memory maybe,” he said. “But back then it didn’t.”
“I suggest you what you told police in November is more accurate, that the amount of alcohol affected your memory. That is the more accurate version, correct?” Joseph asked.
“It could be, yes,” the witness said.
Joseph also questioned the witness about the detail of seeing Keeash move his arm up and down, which conflicted with his original statement to police when he said he could not see his arms or hands.
“Over the course of a few years, memory came back,” the witness said.
When asked why he did not call the police when he saw Barkman on the floor, the witness said he heard sirens and assumed it was for the incident inside the apartment. He also described being in shock.
Joseph suggested the reason he did not call the police and began to clean up the blood is because he didn’t think anything serious had happened and that Barkman had fallen from drinking alcohol and Keeash was trying to help her up.
“At the time, maybe I thought something happened that she fell. But after obviously not,” the witness said.
“I suggest the details have changed is because you are not really sure what happened,” Joseph said.
“Correct, but I’m pretty sure about certain points of it,” the witness replied.
During re-examination by the Crown, the witness was asked what details from the night of Oct. 29, 2018 he was certain of.
“I’m pretty sure I saw Irene on the floor in the living room and arguing that day with Irene and whoever else was in there and I’m pretty sure I saw Peter over top of her in the living room,” he said.
The trial has been adjourned to Sept. 6, 2022 and the Crown is expected to call one more witness to testify.
