As the defence closed its case in Leslie Black’s dangerous offender hearing, the man who brutally attacked Marlene Bird read a prepared statement to the court.
“I apologize for what I did and if I could undo the past I would,” he said, reading the words from a paper, with a slight stutter.
His victim, Marlene Bird, was not in the courtroom to hear his apology. Black left her with amputated legs and a disfigured face after beating and burning her in 2014. The Crown is seeking to have him declared a dangerous offender, which could mean an indefinite term in prison.
Black’s lawyer, Brent Little, did not call him to testify under examination. He said that Black composed the short statement himself, without help from legal counsel.
“I still can’t forgive myself for what I have done,” Black read. “How I could possibly have done this to another person while I was intoxicated. I am usually a happy-go-lucky guy.”
For more on this story, please see the March 22 print or e-edition of the Daily Herald.
