A Calgary murder suspect took the stand Friday, testifying that drugs supplied by his alleged victim left him in a delusional state with fragmented memories of the brutal attack that left his drinking buddy dead.
The Fatal Morning in Bowness
Dennis George Hart told defence lawyer Robin McIntyre that his memory of September 12, 2023 remains severely impacted by substances he consumed at Sean Barber's northwest Calgary home. Hart testified he had been staying with Barber for about a week when the fatal incident occurred.
The accused described doing four "hot rails" of what he believed was methamphetamine supplied by Barber. "I did two more and I don't remember anything after that until about five hours later, I guess," Hart told jurors, noting he was surprised by how little smoke the substance produced compared to previous uses.
Drug-Fueled Delusions and Violence
Hart's next memory was hearing his ex-girlfriend, Carley Hunter, yelling "stop, you're hurting me" outside the Bowness residence. When he went outside, he saw Hunter with her new boyfriend, Jeff Popson, who fled on his bike after making a derogatory comment about Hunter.
Back inside Barber's home, Hart claimed Hunter told him "I was drugged and gang-raped for 18 hours." According to Hart's testimony, Barber then "said she liked it," triggering a physical altercation between the two men.
After Barber asked him to stop fighting, Hart left the residence briefly but returned with a friend named Rico to retrieve his belongings. That's when the situation turned deadly.
The Fatal Confrontation
Hart testified that Barber threatened him, saying "I'm going to stab you up" and reached for a knife. "I seen a knife in the strainer in the kitchen," Hart told McIntyre. "I think I stabbed him."
When asked why he stabbed Barber, Hart responded: "Because he threatened my life." The accused claimed he stabbed Barber again after the victim continued reaching for a knife, breaking the weapon on Barber's shoulder blade.
Hart told court he had no idea how many times he stabbed Barber until he saw crime scene photos during his preliminary inquiry. The victim suffered 48 stab wounds in the attack.
At that point, Hart said he heard a car pull up outside and believed Hunter had been kidnapped. "I believed that Carley had been kidnapped. I asked Sean who took her and he said Dave Saint. Dave Saint had paid him $2,800 to have Carley engage in that sex."
When McIntyre asked if Hart still believes Hunter was kidnapped, the accused replied: "It is not. I think I was delusional."
Hart's testimony continues Monday in the Calgary courtroom.
