A dramatic moment unfolded at the Saskatoon Court of King's Bench this week when a witness testifying in a first-degree murder trial became physically ill during intense cross-examination, forcing a temporary halt to proceedings.
Key Witness Overcome During Questioning
Stephanie Halkett-Stevenson, a central figure in the case against Michael Smillie, vomited into a garbage can while being questioned by defence lawyer Blaine Beaven on Thursday. The incident led to an early end to that day's court session.
When the judge-alone trial resumed on Friday, Crown prosecutor Michael Pilon informed the court that Halkett-Stevenson was still unwell. Her testimony is now scheduled to conclude when the trial continues on Monday morning.
The Charges and the Victim
Michael Smillie, 58, is standing trial for the first-degree murder of 24-year-old Taya Rae Anne Sinclair. Sinclair's burned remains were discovered at a snow dump in Prince Albert on March 15, 2022. However, the Crown's theory is that she was killed the previous day in a Saskatoon basement.
Halkett-Stevenson is currently serving an 18-year sentence for her role in Sinclair's death. During her testimony, she stated she witnessed Smillie strike Sinclair while the young woman was confined.
Contradictions and Drug Use Acknowledged
Under cross-examination, Halkett-Stevenson faced tough questions about her credibility. She admitted to regular use of crystal methamphetamine, both by smoking and injection, at the time of the events. She testified that during the period surrounding Sinclair's death, she had been awake for nearly seven days.
"Drug use impacts my memory," she acknowledged in court.
Defence lawyer Beaven highlighted inconsistencies between her current testimony and previous statements she gave to police. Specifically, she had earlier denied moving Sinclair's body and taking her into Smillie's house, claims she walked back on the stand.
"I didn't know what to do then," she said, explaining the discrepancies.
Halkett-Stevenson also denied an allegation put to her by the defence. She insisted she never told Kenneth Bell—identified by Sinclair's mother as her daughter's boyfriend—that she had injected Sinclair with fentanyl.
Other Witnesses Describe a Confined Assault
Other testimony painted a grim picture of Sinclair's final hours. Melissa Laprise testified that she accompanied her boyfriend, Jonathan Gardiner, to an apartment later identified as belonging to Chelsey Wilma Crowe.
Laprise told the court they went to a bedroom to use drugs. She noticed someone covered with a blanket between the foot of the bed and a television stand. When that person emerged, it was Taya Sinclair, bleeding from her face.
Laprise also stated she heard Kenneth Bell's voice coming from a closet and heard people hitting him while telling him to "shut up."
Surveillance video reportedly shows Jonathan Gardiner taking Sinclair out of the apartment where she was confined and assaulted. Gardiner was later shot and killed by a police officer in Prince Albert in an unrelated incident in 2023.
The trial for Michael Smillie continues, with the case relying heavily on the testimony of witnesses who were involved in the drug-fueled events leading to Taya Sinclair's tragic death.
