The jury comprising 12 individuals in Roderick Sutherland’s trial is currently deliberating the verdict. Sutherland is facing charges related to the murder of Megan Gallagher on Sept. 20, 2020. Although not on trial for murder, he is charged with manslaughter, unlawful confinement, and offering an indignity to human remains, having pleaded not guilty. Gallagher was murdered after being confined and assaulted in a Saskatoon garage, with her remains discovered near the South Saskatchewan River. The jury is now sequestered, lifting the publication bans on evidence and statements from earlier trials. Notably, there were other individuals charged in connection to the case, with varying outcomes that the current jurors were not informed about.
Robert (Bobby) Thomas was initially charged with murder and later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, receiving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 18 years. Cheyann Peeteetuce and Summer-Sky Henry, initially charged with first-degree murder, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were each sentenced to seven years. Ernest Vernon Whitehead, Jessica Badger (Sutherland), and John Wayne Sanderson pleaded guilty to offering an indignity to human remains. Charges against Robin John and Thomas Sutherland were stayed.
The jury was unaware that Roderick Sutherland’s murder charge was downgraded to manslaughter. During the trial, undisclosed developments occurred, which could not be reported until its completion. The defense raised concerns about the attire worn by Gallagher’s friends and family in court, prompting court orders regarding what could be worn. Furthermore, details about Peeteetuce’s criminal record and the application of a “Vetrovec warning” were discussed during the trial.
The defense presented the “abandonment” defense, arguing that Sutherland attempted to distance himself from the situation upon discovering Gallagher’s confinement. However, the prosecution contended that Sutherland did not fulfill abandonment criteria. Ultimately, the judge allowed the defense to present abandonment as a possible defense to the jury.