The second-degree murder trial of Dennis Oland hearing testimony from the Saint John police officer who was the sergeant in charge of the Major Crime Unit when Richard Oland’s bludgeoned body was discovered in his investment firm office on Canterbury Street in uptown Saint John.
Staff Sergeant David Brooker testifying that Dennis Oland was placed under surveillance on July 7, 2011 – the day Richard Oland’s body was found – after leaving the police station on or around 11:01pm following his interview with Constable Stephen Davidson. Brooker says that surveillance ended a week later on July 14 when search warrants were executed.
That same day it was decided Constable Rick Russell who was the most senior officer in the Major Crime Unit at the time with close to 30 years of experience, would be appointed the lead investigator in Richard Oland’s death. Brooker says he was on vacation at the time but came in that afternoon for a briefing.
Brooker also testifying that he sent Constable Anthony Gilbert and Constable Stephen Davidson down to 52 Canterbury Street on July 7 to investigate. He says that Davidson was new to the unit at the time and it was an “orientation” for Davidson. Brooker says he received a call from Gilbert who told him that “it didn’t look very good down there.”
Brooker says Davidson took over as the lead investigator when Russell retired in November of 2011. Brooker says the file coordinator for this case also retired in November of 2011 and was replaced.
The jury hearing this testimony on day 27 of the Dennis Oland trial. 65 have been set aside. The trial resumes at 9:30am on Thursday at the Saint John Law Courts.
CHSJ News reporter Laura Lyall is covering the trial and is live-tweeting from the courtroom. To follow along go to the CHSJ News Twitter page or the Wave News Twitter page.
