Veltman murder trial: Jury off until after Thanksgiving long weekend

WARNING: The video and the details in this article may be disturbing to some viewers

The Crown officially rested its case on Thursday after presenting the last of its evidence in the Nathaniel Veltman murder trial, with the jury now off until Oct. 10.

Here’s what you missed.

 

WHAT HAPPENED ON THURSDAY?

The 14-person jury in the trial of Nathaniel Veltman was released early Thursday morning by the judge after the Crown concluded its case.

Federal prosecutor Sarah Shaikh’s final pieces of evidence were 21 short video clips from surveillance cameras inside Veltman’s downtown London apartment building.

On June 5, 2021 – the day before the attack – Veltman returned home in the early morning hours and didn’t leave again until later that afternoon.

The next series of videos jump to the early morning hours of June 6 where Veltman returned home at approximately 1 a.m. with a reusable grocery shopping bag full of items. Then, between 1:37 a.m. and 1:48 a.m., Veltman was seen throwing multiple cardboard boxes and a large wooden pallet in the building's garbage room.

Shaikh then read a ninth agreed statement of facts about the next videos in the series.

At 2:01 a.m. Veltman was seen “carrying a garbage bag and an item” to the building’s garbage room, and “He then comes out of the garbage room empty-handed and walks back to the stairwell.”

On Thursday, Shaikh amended a previous agreed statement of facts that referenced the speed of Veltman’s truck in the moments before the collision.

“From four seconds before the impact, the accelerator pedal was depressed at 100 per cent," she said. 

The Crown concluded their case on Thursday, however the jury was not told if the defence would be calling any evidence in support of Veltman.

Over the course of 15 days of evidence, the crown called a total of 19 witnesses, presented nine agreed statements of fact, and catalogued 30 exhibits.

 

WHAT IS EXPECTED IN COURT ON FRIDAY?

The jury is set to return to court on Oct. 10 at 10 a.m. after the Thanksgiving long weekend, with the trial now in the hands of the defence.

Justice Renee Pomerance told the jury on Thursday “there are some matters” the lawyers need to discuss “before we take next steps.”

Those arguments are subject to a publication ban because they will occur in the absence of the jury.

Friday will mark the fifth week of court time for the trial, with eight weeks being set aside originally.

 

A RECAP OF WEEK ONE

The murder trial of 22-year-old Nathaniel Veltman officially got underway in a Windsor courtroom more than two years after he allegedly drove into five members of the Afzaal family in London, killing four of them, in what’s been called a hate motivated attack.

Week one saw jury selection get underway and a reduction in the length of the trial after negotiations between the Crown and the defence.

 

A RECAP OF WEEK TWO

Week two of trial heard testimony from a cab driver, 9-1-1 dispatcher, a witness to the attack, and a detective from the London Police Service who interviewed the accused.

 

A RECAP OF WEEK THREE

During the third week of the trial, testimony was heard from officers who were the first to arrive on the scene of the attack, the parking lot where Veltman was arrested, and the jury saw video surveillance and testimony from the detective who was the first to interview the accused.

 

A RECAP OF WEEK FOUR

During the fourth week of the trial, the jury heard testimony from forensic investigators who examined the apartment and pickup truck of the accused in the days after the attack and from the arresting officer.

 

THE JUNE 6, 2021 ATTACK

On June 6, 2021 five members of the Afzaal family were out for a summer walk along Hyde Park Road in west London when they were run down by a pickup truck in what police allege was a hate motivated attack.

Four people died, including father Salman, mother Madiha, 15-year-old daughter Yumna, and grandmother Talat. The lone survivor was a nine-year-old boy who was injured, and has since recovered. He is now living with relatives.

Moments after the crash, London police arrested and charged Nathaniel Veltman, now 22 years of age. He has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

— With files from CTV News London's Nick Paparella and CTV News Windsor's Michelle Maluske