Woman accused in killing of OPP Const. Greg Pierzchala 'just along for the ride,' defence tells trial

Justin Chandler · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 23, 2025 4:36 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

Jurors successful a Cayuga, Ont., courtroom heard Tuesday from a Crown authoritative that Randall McKenzie and Brandi Stewart-Sperry collaborated to ambush and termination Ontario Provincial Police Const. Greg Pierzchala in December 2022.

In his closing connection connected Wednesday, Stewart-Sperry's lawyer, Scott Reid, said believing the Crown's narrative beyond a tenable uncertainty requires "tunnel vision."

Reid told the Superior Court trial his lawsuit made atrocious choices, but those don't marque her a murderer oregon a killer, and added that the shooter "used Brandi arsenic a shield, unwittingly."

"This is simply a lawsuit astir Randall, not Brandi. She's conscionable on for the ride."

McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry are charged with first-degree execution successful the shooting decease of Pierzchala, 28. Both person pleaded not guilty. The proceedings began March 27. 

Stewart-Sperry has admitted to being contiguous during the shooting — which was captured by Pierzchala's bodycam. McKenzie does not. 

The Crown alleges the 3 came into interaction erstwhile the co-accused stole a car from Hamilton and crashed it successful a ditch adjacent Hagersville. After trying to get assistance from passersby to permission the scene, McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry, who were fellow and girlfriend, had 2 choices erstwhile a constabulary serviceman arrived, Crown lawyer Fraser McCracken said Tuesday. They could surrender or "eliminate the threat."

Stewart-Sperry attempted to distract Pierzchala and fell McKenzie from presumption portion helium readied a handgun wrong the pouch of his hoodie and fatally changeable the officer, McCracken said.

On Tuesday, McKenzie's lawyer, Douglas Holt, argued there's reasonable uncertainty arsenic to whether McKenzie was the shooter captured connected video. 

'Nothing much than speculation and conjecture'

Reid said the shooter, nary substance who it was, is a "coward" who "cut down a brave young officer" successful the premier of his life.

Stewart-Sperry fled the country of the transgression with that shooter successful different stolen vehicle, Reid said, but the choices she made aboriginal were much understandable than the Crown authoritative has suggested.

In fact, Reid argued, grounds against Stewart-Sperry is "nothing much than speculation and conjecture."

Over the people of a mates hours, Reid contradicted aggregate parts of the Crown's case. 

McCracken said Tuesday that Stewart-Sperry was apt intoxicated during the shooting, but by fleeing and attempting to fell and repair their stolen getaway vehicle, she showed she knew what she was doing. 

On Wednesday, Reid countered she was not successful her close mind, noting that witnesses who saw her anterior to the shooting described her utilizing presumption specified arsenic "high arsenic a kite" and recounted her acting irrationally.

Reid besides presented an alternate instrumentality connected the bodycam video successful which the shooter is seen opening occurrence connected Pierzchala portion Stewart-Sperry stands adjacent to the gunman. 

McCracken said the video shows Stewart-Sperry providing screen for the shooter, but Reid said it looks arsenic if the gunman is readying to occurrence earlier his lawsuit reacts. He said she appeared to respond to the shooting much dilatory than the witnesser captured connected video due to the fact that she was intoxicated. 

Actions aft shooting not indicative of guilt: defence

As for wherefore his lawsuit fled the scene, Reid asked the jurors to enactment themselves successful her shoes and debar making assumptions astir however idiosyncratic should enactment during a traumatic situation. 

"I anticipation and commune nary of you find yourselves successful the concern Brandi was successful that day," helium said, arsenic Stewart-Sperry sat crying. 

Reid said Stewart-Sperry mightiness person fled with a antheral who had conscionable changeable down a constabulary serviceman due to the fact that she was acrophobic of being near alone, panicked and confused, successful emotion oregon possibly acrophobic helium mightiness wounded her oregon her household if she didn't spell on with him.

He added determination is nary grounds Stewart-Sperry knew McKenzie had texted radical astir "shooting retired with the cops," arsenic the assemblage has heard, and said texts betwixt McKenzie and her parent bespeak the co-accused were isolated for astir 2 weeks successful December. Reid said it's tenable to deliberation the 2 whitethorn not person known each different each that good and she mightiness not person known helium had a gun. 

Jury deliberations acceptable to statesman Thursday 

After Reid's closing, Superior Court Justice Andrew Goodman began instructing the assemblage connected the ineligible issues they volition request to see during their deliberations. 

He is scheduled to proceed his complaint to the assemblage connected Thursday morning, and past deliberations volition begin.