Tuesday, January 23, 2007 02:24 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. - Robert Pickton told police theinvestigation into his connection with the murders of women inVancouver was `hogwash.'

The jury in New Westminster is watching a videotape of Picktonbeing interviewed after his arrest in February 2002. He sits slumped down in his chair, hands in his pockets, as hetells Staff Sgt. Bill Fordy that he's being set up and that he'sjust a pig farmer.

Pickton is being tried on six counts of first-degree murder. Hefaces trial on an additional 20 counts later. While a crush of media and family converged on the suburbancourthouse Monday for the long-awaited start of the trial, themayhem is absent today.

Fewer family members arrived early and there were no lineups atthe security screening area.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007 01:08 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. - Jurors at the Robert Pickton murder trialin New Westminster began watching and hearing the accused serialkiller being interviewed by police.

But the poor quality of the audio forced an adjournment while thetechnical problems were resolved. They were seeing a videotape of Pickton taken at the Surrey,B.C., RCMP detachment in February 2002 while he was being questionedabout the remains of women found on his pig farm.

Pickton is being tried on six counts of first-degree murder. Hefaces trial on an additional 20 counts later. While a crush of media and family converged on the suburbancourthouse Monday for the long-awaited start of the trial, themayhem is absent today.

Fewer family members arrived early and there were no lineups atthe security screening area.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007 6:53 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. - Jurors will get to hear Robert Pickton'sown words in taped conversations with police about the remains ofwomen found on his pig farm.

The Crown outlined its case on Monday and gave the B.C. SupremeCourt jury some idea of the evidence it plans to put forward. Today and Wednesday, the jurors will view a videotape that lastsfor about 11 hours. The tape was taken at the RCMP detachment in Surrey, B.C., inFebruary 2002. It consists of an interview police had with Pickton following hisarrest after the first two charges were laid a day earlier.

The Crown said in its opening statement Monday that the PortCoquitlam man told investigators he had killed 49 women and wasgoing to do `one more.'

Tuesday, January 23, 2007 2:32 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, British Columbia -- After a sensational openingday in the murder trial of Robert ``Willie'' Pickton, a B-C Crownprosecutor is beginning the long task of laying out the case againstthe former pig farmer.

Prosecutor Derrill Prevett opened the case by saying the Crownintends to prove Pickton killed and butchered the six women he's ontrial for. He told the jury police had recovered grisly forensic evidencefrom all six in and around the Port Coquitlam, B-C farm he calledhis home. And he told judge and jury he intended to play for the courtvideo evidence of police questioning the accused 57-year-old andvideo shot by an undercover officer in jail. T

he jury of seven men and five women were excused slightly earlyyesterday to allow the Crown to begin the video evidence fresh thismorning.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007 2:32 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, British Columbia -- When a B-C Supreme Courtjudge warned jurors in the Robert ``Willie'' Pickton murder trialthe case might be likened to a horror movie, he wasn't off the mark. Pickton's trial on six of 26 murder counts began yesterday.

Prosecuter Derrill Prevett told Justice James Williams and a juryof 12 the Crown will show Pickton murdered and butchered thesewomen. He said in freezers and a garbage can on Pickton's Port Coquitlampig farm, police found the severed heads of three of the six women. A sex toy affixed to a pistol turned up D-N-A evidence of afourth, and police also recovered jawbones and teeth.

The grisly details sent one relative bolting from the courtroomin tears. In a short statement to the judge and jury, Pickton's lawyer saidhis client had nothing to do with the killings.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007 2:30 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, British Columbia -- The Crown claims Robert``Willie'' Pickton was planning to kill one last woman to reach theeven number of 50 women killed.

As Derrill Prevett laid out the Crown's case against Pickton onday one of the trial in New Westminster, B-C, he said Picktonadmitted to an R-C-M-P officer that he killed 49 women and wasplanning one more murder. Prevett described a horrific crime scene with body parts infreezers, human bones in the pig pen and blood splatters in severallocations. Both the Crown and Pickton's defence agree the women weremurdered.

But Pickton's lawyer, Peter Ritchie, told the jury the defenceposition is clear -- Pickton didn't take part in killing the sixwomen, who vanished from Vancouver's gritty Downtown Eastside. In this trial, the Port Coquitlam pig farmer is accused ofkilling six women and will face another 20 murder charges in a latertrial.

Monday, January 22, 2007 7:49 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B-C -- The Robert Pickton murder trial opened inB-C today with grisly details, an alleged admission of guilt and thefirst witness saying police were confused at first over the missingwomen.

Prosecutor Derrill Prevett told the B-C Supreme Court jury in NewWestminster that police made a series of horrifying discoveries atPickton's farm. They included the severed heads of two women in buckets in afreezer, as well as other bones and teeth. Prevett also said Pickton admitted he'd killed 49 women andwanted to make it an even 50 before stopping.

Defence lawyer Peter Ritchie cautioned the jury not to beoverwhelmed by the statements, adding he would vigorously challengethe Crown case. He also pointed to Pickton's alleged admission of murder, askingthe jurors to pay close attention to Pickton's intellectualcompetence and level of understanding in the police recordings.

The first witness was R-C-M-P Inspector Don Adam, who saidVancouver Police who investigated the disappearances of 10 women in1999 found nine had simply relocated. He said at that point the police believed the disappearances hadstopped and without bodies or evidence, investigators had a hardtime knowing how to proceed.

Pickton showed no emotion during the Crown's opening, staringstraight ahead, but at least one person sitting among the victims'families began sobbing and had to leave the court.

The jury has been dismissed for the day.

Monday, January 22, 2007 6:15 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B-C -- The Crown has laid out shocking detailsin the Robert Pickton trial, including what it says is Pickton'sadmission that he killed 49 women.

In his opening argument Crown prosecutor Derrill Prevett told thejury Pickton made the statement to a police inspector, and told theofficer he planned to kill one more woman to make it an even 50.

Crown counsel spokesman Stan Lowe says they're just glad to havestarted the trial. Lowe says there was a tremendous amount of anticipation in thecase, and relief from the prosecution team now that the trial isstarting.

Prevett described a bloody murder scene, with body parts found ina freezer and elsewhere. Pickton's lawyer Peter Ritchie told the jury his client didn'tkill or participate in the murders. He urged the jury to pay close attention to Pickton'sintellectual competence and level of understanding when he was beinginterviewed by the police.

Pickton is accused of killing six women.

Monday, January 22, 2007 5:49 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B-C -- The defence had some words of caution forthe jury as the Crown opened its case in the Robert Pickton murdertrial in B-C.

The prosecution painted a gruesome picture of what police foundon the Pickton farm in Port Coquitlam -- including the severed headsof some of the victims.

Crown lawyer Derrill Prevett also told the B-C Supreme Cpourtjury in New Westminster that Pickton admitted killing 49 women andwanted to make it an even 50 before stopping.

The Crown also claims Pickton said he was ``sloppy'' and one ofthe reasons he hadn't been caught earlier is because of badpolicing. But Pickton's lawyer Peter Ritchie told the jury his clientdidn't kill or participate in the murders.

He urged the jurors not be overwhelmed by what they heard fromthe Crown, adding he will be vigorously contesting parts of theCrown's case. Ritchie also asked the jurors to pay close attention to Pickton'sintellectual competence and level of understanding when prosecutorsplay a video of his police interview.

Pickton, who has pleaded not guilty to six counts of first-degreemurder, stared straight ahead as the Crown recited its evidence. Earlier, he bowed slightly to the judge as he entered courtdressed in white running shoes, casual black pants and a greyshort-sleeved shirt.

Monday, January 22, 2007 3:43 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B-C -- Gruesome, shocking evidence -- and anadmission of murder -- have emerged at the opening of the RobertPickton trial in B-C.

The Crown told jurors that police who arrived at Pickton's farmin Port Coquitlam five years ago found body parts in a freezer. Prosecutor Derrill Prevett says the parts included several headsin buckets, with the heads having been cut in half vertically. He says police also found parts of hands and feet, bones andteeth, and D-N-A analysis identified the remains as those of the sixwomen Pickton is accused of killing in this trial.

Prevett also told the jurors at B-C Supreme Court in NewWestminster that Pickton admitted to killing 49 women and wanted tomake it an even 50 before he stopped.

He says the killings were the work of one man -- Robert Pickton-- adding he had the expertise and equipment for the task. However, defence lawyer Peter Ritchie told jurors Pickton did notkill or participate in the murders of the six women.

Before the Crown and defence began their opening statements,Justice James Williams warned the seven-man, five-women jury thatthe evidence will be distressing and repulsive.
He said they must be careful not to allow their objectivity toget swept away with their shock.

Monday, January 22, 2007 3:33 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. - The Crown says Robert Pickton admitted tokilling 49 women and planned to kill one more to make it an even 50. Prosecutor Derrill Prevett says Pickton told police during aformal interview that he was going to `shut it down.'

Prevett delivered his opening statement to jurors today andoutlined the graphic testimony they will hear, including thediscovery of severed heads in buckets and other human remains onPickton's property.

Prevett says Pickton told police in the interview he was`plotting' his last kill. Later, Prevett says Pickton told an undercover officer in hisjail cell that he wanted to make it an even 50. However, defence lawyer Peter Ritchie told jurors Pickton did notkill or participate in the murders of the six women he standscharged with killing.

Monday, January 22, 2007 3:06 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. (CP) _ The Crown says Robert Picktonconfessed to killing 49 women and wanted to do one more to make itan even 50.

Monday, January 22, 2007 2:24 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. - The Crown is describing a bloody crimescene that police found on Robert Pickton's pig farm. Prosecutor Derrill Prevett says police found two large freezersand inside were large plastic pails with human heads inside.

The heads had been cut in two vertically. Prevett says police moved in on a search warrant and foundevidence of Sereena Abottsway, one of the alleged murder victims. The officers were originally at the farm with a warrant forfirearms but had to bring in the missing women's women's task force.

Prevett says several human bones and teeth were found on the farmand DNA analysis has identified the remains of each of the six womenin this case.

Monday, January 22, 2007 2:12 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. (CP) _ Police who arrived to search RobertPickton's farm discovered human heads in buckets.

Monday, January 22, 2007 1:58 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. - The Crown says it can prove that RobertPickton murdered six women, butchered their remains and disposed ofthem.

Crown lawyer Derrill Prevett told the jury in his openingstatement that Pickton had the expertise, equipment and the means todispose of the victims' remains. He told the jury the murders were the work of one man over thecourse of several years and that the women had been at his home, anisolated farm in Port Coquitlam, B.C.

Prevett said it's not in dispute the six women are dead and theirremains were found on the pig farm in Port Coquitlam. He said the police investigation began because the women suddenlystopped calling their family members and they stopped frequentingtheir neighbourhood on Vancouver Downtown Eastside.

Pickton is charged with killing 26 women, but the current casedeals with only six charges.

Monday, January 22, 2007 1:48 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. (CP) _ The Crown says it intends to proveRobert Pickton murdered six women, butchered their remains anddisposed of them.

Monday, January 22, 2007 2:17 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. - The judge in the serial-murder trial ofRobert Pickton says the evidence will likely be distressing andrepulsive and could overwhelm jurors.

Justice James Williams told jurors they should guard againsthaving their objectivity swept away by what they will hear. He told them they are the judges of the facts, and they mayconsider only the evidence they hear and see in the courtroom.

The jury trial in the case has just begun. Williams warned jurors to avoid all media coverage of the caseand not to discuss the case with anyone. He told the jury to consider the evidence with an open mind andnot to be prejudiced by sympathy, fear, or public opinion.

Monday, January 22, 2007 01:17 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. - The jury trial against accused serialkiller Robert Pickton has begun. Reporters and members of the public began lining up at firstlight to get one of the few seats in the tiny courtroom.

Pickton is charged with killing 26 women from Vancouver's grittyDowntown Eastside. The case has been split in two with jurors hearing testimonystarting today in six of the deaths.
The case opens with a statement from prosecutor Mike Petrie,followed by an address from defence lawyer Peter Ritchie.

The judge has already warned jurors what they will hear will behorrific.

Monday, January 22, 2007 1:43 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. (CP) _ The jury trial against accusedserial killer Robert Pickton trial has begun.

Monday, January 22, 2007 01:17 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. - The daughter of one of the women RobertPickton is accused of murdering says she's feeling a little scaredand nervous about the days ahead.

Fourteen-year-old Brittney Frey says she is at the courthousethis morning to seek justice and accountability. She says she's also hoping to offer her support to family membersof the other five alleged murder victims.

Her mom, Marnie Frey, was reported missing in September of 1998. Brittney's grandmother, Lynn Frey, is attending with hergranddaughter, but says the proceedings won't give her her daughterMarnie back.

Pickton is being tried on six charges of murder and jurors willhear details for the first time today.

Monday, January 22, 2007 12:05 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B-C -- About a dozen people are in line outsidea B-C courthouse this hour, awaiting the start of a murder trialexpected to last at least a year. They're hoping to land one of the few seats set aside for thepublic at the trial of Robert Pickton.

The Port Coquitlam pig farmer is being tried on six charges offirst-degree murder in the deaths of prostitutes from Vancouver'sDowntown Eastside. The first two people in line brought lawn chairs and areapparently holding spots for local T-V stations.

Court proceedings in the Vancouver suburb of New Westminster willopen with the judge issuing his instructions to the jury. Then prosecution lawyer Mike Petrie will lay out the Crown's case-- that's expected to take an hour. Then, in an unusual move, defence lawyer Peter Ritchie will begiven 15 minutes to speak to jurors.

It's the first time public will hear details in this case. It's been five years since Pickton was arrested and, until now,that the media has essentially been gagged. A later trial will be held on 20 more murder charges. About 350 reporters, photographers and technical mediarepresentatives have been accredited to report on the trial.

Among them are reporters from the U-S, Britain and Germany.

Monday, January 22, 2007 7:06 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, British Columbia -- Robert Pickton will be takento the B-C Supreme Courthouse in New Westminster shortly before histrial on six counts of first-degree murder begins today. Members of the public who want to get a seat will have to get tothe courthouse much earlier this morning and line up.

Thirty-one seats have been set aside for members of the public toattend the trial. And they'll have to go through tight security to get in. Eighty-six seats have been alloted for family members of theslain women and for Pickton's family. But the families have a choice -- they can watch the proceedingsin the public courtroom or in a private room with a video link downthe hall.

However Pickton's brother, David Pickton, tells the Globe andMail he doesn't intend to attend the trial. The news media will have access to 86 seats while 11 seats havebeen set aside for government officials and an R-C-M-P observer.

Monday, January 22, 2007 5:40 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, British Columbia -- A horde of media isdescending on New Westminster, B-C for the Robert Pickton trial.

The Port Coquitlam pig farmer is being tried on six charges offirst-degree murder. A later trial will be held on 20 more murder charges. About 350 reporters, photographers and technical mediarepresentatives have been accredited to report on the trial.

Among the foreign journalists are those from the British PressAssociation, Time, Court T-V, The Economist, Germany-based A-R-Dtelevision, Axel Springer, B-B-C radio and T-V, The Washington Postand The New York Times. While that may seem like a lot, high-profile cases in the U-Shave attracted more media.

For instance, the Michael Jackson child molestation trialreportedly drew 23-hundred members of the news media while the ScottPeterson double murder trial had 870 members of the press.

Monday, January 22, 2007 2:31 Eastern Time

Some key dates in the case of more than 60 women missing fromVancouver's Downtown Eastside:

September 1978: Lillian Jean O'Dare, earliest known missing dateon list, disappears from Downtown Eastside.

1991: Relatives of a growing list of missing women, along withadvocates for sex-trade workers, establish annual Valentine's Dayremembrance, press for tougher police investigation.

June 1997: Helen Hallmark reported missing.

September 1998: Vancouver police set up team to review files of asmany as 40 women missing as far back as 1971.

January 1999: Jacqueline McDonell reported missing. Sometime in 1999: Georgina Papin, Brenda Wolfe and JenniferFurminger last seen.

April 1999: Vancouver police board posts 100-thousand dollarreward for information in missing women case.

March 2001: Patricia Johnson last seen in Downtown Eastside.

April 2001: Heather Bottomley reported missing.

August 2001: Sereena Abotsway reported missing.

September 2001: Vancouver police and R-C-M-P form joint taskforce -- Project Evenhanded -- to replace city police stalledinvestigation.

October 2001: Diane Rock reported missing.

November 2001: Mona Wilson reported missing.

December 2001: Task force investigators travel to Seattle tointerview Gary Ridgway, charged in four of 49 Green River homicidesin Washington state.

January 2002: Task force adds five names to list, bringing totalnumber of women missing to 50.

Feb. 5, 2002: RCMP officers, accompanied by missing-women taskforce members, enter property in suburban Port Coquitlam on firearmswarrant.

Feb. 6, 2002: Task force officers use their own warrant to beginsearching pig farm for clues in missing women case.

Feb. 7, 2002: Robert Pickton, one of two brothers who ownproperty along with sister, charged with weapons offences as searchof property continued.

Feb. 22, 2002: Robert Pickton charged with two counts offirst-degree murder -- Sereena Abotsway and Mona Wilson.

April 2, 2002: Crown announces three more first-degree chargesagainst Pickton -- Diane Rock, Jacqueline McDonell and HeatherBottomley.

April 9, 2002: Sixth murder charge laid against Pickton -- AndreaJoesbury. April 23, 2002: Karin Joesbury, mother of Andrea, files lawsuitsagainst Pickton, police, the province and the federal government inrelation to Andrea's death.

May 22, 2002: Pickton charged with first-degree murder of BrendaWolfe. June 6, 2002: Police begin excavating Pickton properties withhelp of archeologists.

Sept. 19, 2002: Father of missing woman Marcie Creison fileslawsuit against police, City of Vancouver, the province and thefederal government over investigation.

Sept. 19, 2002: Pickton charged with four more murders --Georgina Papin, Helen Hallmark, Patricia Johnson and JenniferFurminger. List of missing officially grows to 63.

Oct. 2, 2002: Pickton charged with murders of Heather Chinnock,Tanya Holyk, Sherry Irving and Inga Hall.

Jan. 13, 2003: Preliminary hearing begins in provincial court inPort Coquitlam. July 21, 2003: Hearing concludes.

July 23, 2003: Judge David Stone commits Pickton for trial on 15counts of first-degree murder.

Nov. 18, 2003: Investigators wrap up mass excavation and searchof Pickton farm.

Feb. 20, 2004: B.C. government reports investigation costs willlikely run up to 70 (m) million dollars and that the money has beenset aside in the provincial budget.

May 2005: Crown lays 12 more first-degree murder charges.

June 2005: Pre-trial hearings begin in B.C. Supreme Court in NewWestminster, under publication ban.

October 2005: Pre-trial hearings end.

Jan. 30, 2006: Voir dire portion of Pickton trial begins in B.C.Supreme Court.

March 2006:Judge quashes murder count involving unidentifiedwoman.

Aug. 9, 2006: Judge decides to sever charges because hearing all26 would impose unreasonable burden on jury.

Sept. 8, 2006: Crown decides to proceed on six counts first, withother 10 counts to be tried at a later date.

Dec. 9, 2006: Jury selection begins.

Dec. 12, 2006: Jury selected.

Jan. 22, 2007: Crown opens case against Pickton.

Monday, January 22, 2007 2:31 Eastern Time

NEW WESTMINSTER, B-C -- Almost five years after Robert Picktonwas arrested, a jury will begin hearing evidence in his trial todayin New Westminster, B-C.

In this trial, he faces first-degree murder charges in theslayings of six women -- Mona Wilson, Sereena Abotsway, AndreaJoesbury, Georgina Papin, Marnie Frey and Brenda Wolfe. He also stands accused of the murders of 20 other women but notrial date has been set on those charges.

Grief counsellor Lynette Pollard-Elgert has been working with thevictims' families since before Pickton was arrested. She expects many family members to attend the trial at somepoint. Pollard-Elgert says the average person isn't built to be able todeal with the horror of murder. The trial judge said during jury selection that some parts of thetrial may be as bad as a horror movie.

The trial is expected to last a year.