SAINT JEROME, Que. — The judge presiding over the first-degree murder trial of ex-Quebec doctor Guy Turcotte is cautioning the jury against being influenced by public opinion on the case.
Quebec Superior Court Justice Andre Vincent began delivering his final instructions today to the 11 jurors who will decide Turcotte's fate.
They will be sequestered immediately after Vincent has finished and will remain so until they've reached a verdict.
Turcotte has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the 2009 stabbing deaths of his son, Olivier, 5, and his daughter Anne-Sophie, 3.
Turcotte, 43, has admitted to causing the deaths but his lawyer is seeking a verdict of not criminally responsible by way of mental disorder.
The Crown completed its final arguments last Wednesday, saying the accused had decided to commit suicide and wanted to kill his children to ensure they weren't raised by another man.
Earlier, Turcotte's lawyer had argued his client was a loving father who would not have killed his children unless he was suffering from mental illness.
On Monday, Vincent reminded jurors their deliberations are secret and confidential and no one can ask them why they reached one verdict over another.
He also reminded them their verdict must be based on the evidence they heard in court and not from other sources.
"You should not be swayed by public opinion," Vincent told them.
