MONTREAL — The Crown has concluded presenting its evidence in Luka Rocco Magnotta's first-degree murder trial.
Prosecutor Louis Bouthillier formally closed his case this morning, paving the the way for the defence to begin its arguments.
The first defence witness is Magnotta's father, whose name is protected by a publication ban.
The final Crown witnesses, heard earlier this week by the jury, were interviewed in Europe this past summer.
Those people, interviewed in France and Germany, were the last of 48 witnesses Bouthillier called over 19 days.
Magnotta is charged with first-degree murder in the slaying and dismemberment of Jun Lin in May 2012 in Montreal before he was arrested in Berlin.
He has admitted to killing the Chinese engineering student, but has pleaded not guilty by way of mental disorder.
Magnotta faces four charges in addition to premeditated murder: criminally harassing Prime Minister Stephen Harper and other members of Parliament; mailing obscene and indecent material; committing an indignity to a body; and publishing obscene materials.
