Family members of Cliff Comerford — the 41-year-old stabbed to death almost two years ago — broke down in tears and covered their mouths in shock at the verdict Monday morning.
On the other side of the courtroom, the parents of Ray Stacey — the man who had been accused of killing Comerford and was charged with second-degree murder — cried tears of joy.
“Not guilty!” his mother was overheard saying on her cellphone a few minutes later. “He’s coming home!”
Stacey looked excited and relieved as he sat in the prisoner’s box at Newfoundland Supreme Court in St. John’s.
Once Justice Garrett Handrigan thanked jurors and they were dismissed, Stacey’s lawyers Bob Buckingham and Paul Kennedy went over to Stacey smiling and patted him on the shoulder.
“Obviously, after two years of this being on Ray’s shoulders, this is a relief and hopefully now he can get on with the rest of his life,” Buckingham told reporters.
As he spoke, Stacey looked on, but opted not to say anything.
Stacey’s family also chose to let Buckingham speak on their behalf.
Comerford’s family members, including his brother, sister and mother, also chose not to talk to reporters either. They left the building shortly afterwards. His sister, Diana, was still wiping tears from her eyes.
Trent Comerford, Cliff’s brother, uttered something to Stacey as he got out of the prisoner’s box.
Stacey, 25, was accused of murdering Comerford, his co-worker, in the back of a company shuttle van on Jan. 11, 2015.
Stacey and Comerford were among a group of chicken catchers on their way to work that night. When the van stopped at Greenwood Crescent in Mount Pearl to pick up Stacey at around 9 p.m., witnesses say Comerford and Stacey got into a heated argument outside the van. When they finally got back in, Comerford attacked Stacey in the back seat.
Comerford ended up in a pool of blood, having been stabbed six times, with five additional cuts found in his coat. In a panic, Stacey ran out of the van.
Buckingham said he’s sure Comerford’s aggression played a part in jurors’ decision.
“Who knows what went on in that jury room?” Buckingham said.
Stacey said Comerford pulled a knife on him during the attack and said he didn’t stab Comerford, but Buckingham told jurors Stacey acted in self-defence. He said Stacey was terrified by Comerford’s vicious assault and told them to put themselves in Stacey’s shoes and think about what he was going through at that time.
In reaching the verdict, the jury had to review five weeks of testimony from 25 witnesses, including police officers, Stacey and Comerford’s co-workers who were in the van, Stacey’s family members, neighbours and Stacey, who was the defence’s only witness and the last one to take the stand.
It took jurors just under a day and a half of deliberations to render the verdict.
They were sequestered Saturday evening after they heard closing arguments that afternoon. On Sunday afternoon, they had a question for the judge, seeking an explanation about self-defence and manslaughter.
Word they had rendered the verdict came just before 11 a.m. Monday.
“I thought the jury was giving thoughtful consideration to the issues and I think they were really grappling with the evidence,” Buckingham said. “That was my analysis of it … They had a lot thrown at them.”
Buckingham said it’s disappointing that Stacey spent a year and a half in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Stacey was arrested the night of the incident and wasn’t released from jail until June of this year after a bail review.
However, he said Stacey “has a full life ahead of him.” He said Stacey wants to learn how to read and write, get a job and get on with the rest of his life.
“He wants to go back to being just an ordinary working-class person that he was before all this tragedy unfolded and he got caught up in it,” Buckingham said.
When addressed with a question if he’s feeling good now, Stacey nodded and simply replied, “Yes.”
“You’re not going to get a lot out of Mr. Stacey,” Buckingham said with a chuckle. “It took a lot for us to get him on that witness stand.”
Buckingham said Stacey and his family are relieved, but said they sympathize with the Comerfords.
“They’re going to be very happy to have (Stacey) back,” he said. “But, on the other side, the Comerford family are not going to have Cliff back. That’s not lost on Ray either.
“He’s a man who doesn’t always express himself a lot, but he certainly has his emotions and understands that that’s a loss for the Comerford family and is sorry they’ve got to go through this Christmas (without him) and this decision at this particular time of year.”
Shortly following proceedings, Crown prosecutors Phil LeFeuvre and Shawn Patten shook hands with Buckingham and co-defence counsel Paul Kennedy.
When speaking to reporters, Patten admitted it was a long, difficult five weeks, but said they respect the jury’s decision.
“It’s one of the pillars of our criminal justice system. It’s never easy, but we are certainly appreciate the effort they put in,” he said.
Patten said it’s too early to decide if they will appeal.
“Like all files, we will review it to see if there’s any matters we want to revisit. But right now, we certainly respect the decision.
“It’s a difficult time for the family, certainly. It’s just time now to reflect.”
Patten said they anticipated a guilty verdict and thought the jury might even consider manslaughter.
“But again, you can’t get in the heads of the jury. There were a number of factors. It was a difficult case.”
He said it’s hard to say what factors led jurors to the not-guilty verdict
“This is the thing with 12 people. You don’t know what’s going through their heads.”
