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Testimony slowed to a trickle at his trial last week as Buoc has taken an unconventional approach to his questioning of Crown witnesses, with a significant portion of his cross-examination spent making overtures of an alleged police conspiracy behind the charges.

Talal Al-Shammari spent parts of five days testifying from a closed-circuit room, the majority of that time answering needling questions directly from Buoc.

Photo by Court exhibit / .

Buoc is being aided at trial by court-appointed amicus curiae James Foord, who assists with interpretations of complex legal arguments and ensures the rights of the accused are being protected throughout trial, but does not give legal advice or make any arguments on Buoc’s behalf.

“How’s it going Talal?” was Buoc’s opening question as Al-Shammari sat cradling his head in his hands.

Superior Court Justice Robert Maranger reminded Buoc several times to address the witness as “Mr. Al-Shammari.”

He returned at several points over the next few days of testimony to asking Al-Shammari, “Why did you make these incriminating allegations and accusations against me?”

Al-Shammari at one point answered back flatly, “Because you shot me.”

He denied making any false statements to police as detectives waited by his hospital bedside until he named Buoc as the shooter, or in later statements when he gave investigators a full description of the night that ended in what the Crown called a “bloodbath.”

Even the bouncer at the Kanata Fat Tuesday’s who testified he saw the group of friends enter the bar that night was questioned by Buoc about the alleged conspiracy.