A murder trial jury heard Andre Wareham tell a 911 operator that he was defending himself and just wanted William Atkins to leave him alone.
The second-degree murder trial for Wareham began Tuesday at the Superior Court of Justice in Thunder Bay. Wareham faces the murder charge in connection to the death of 29-year-old Atkins.
The incident took place at a Finlayson Street apartment building on Jan. 14, 2009.
The court heard a 911 call that Wareham made that night.
He had made his way to a payphone on Simpson Street after the incident had happened and with a self-inflicted knife wound to his leg. Wareham told the operator that he needed an ambulance at the apartment building.
Wareham said he and Atkins got into a fight.
“I didn’t want this. I wanted to be left alone,” The court heard a frantic sounding Wareham say.
“He grabbed me and threw me and kicked me in the face. I was just defending myself. I told him to leave me alone. They are going to take me to jail. They’re going to crucify me for this. I’m a black man in Thunder Bay. Do you know how hard it is to be a black man here?”
He said Atkins was harassing him and had wanted to pick a fight with him.
He said he still had the knife on him.
The operator told him to put the knife down and wait for the police to arrive.
Wareham said all he ever did was go to and from work and he didn’t bother anyone.
The court also heard from Wareham’s ex-boss Danny Nucci, owner of a local bakery. He described Wareham as an excellent employee who was punctual, gave plenty of notice and never gave any grief.
“Andre was a great guy,” Nucci said. “He was a jack of all trades. I was amazed at what happened to him.”
In his opening remarks, Wareham’s lawyer, Steven Hinkson, said his client acted in self-defense.
“This is not a ‘whodunit’ case,” Hinkson told the jury. “I suggest that what happened that day was self-defense.”
Assistant Crown Attorney Elaine Burton said Atkins died from blood loss as a result of the five stab wounds he received.
She said the trial was about the fight that Atkins and Wareham had in the stairwell of that apartment building.
She added that she expected the Crown to wrap up its case sometime this week. The trial continues Wednesday and is expected to last two weeks.
None of the charges against the accused have been proven in court.
Follow Jeff Labine on Twitter: @Labine_reporter
