A murder trial for the man accused of killing two other men in Edmonton’s Chinatown district has now heard from numerous witnesses, including the accused himself, who testified on Wednesday. 

The testimony was related to several Charter applications brought by his lawyer, David Wolsey, who argues his client’s constitutional rights were violated. 

Justin Bone is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Hung Trang, 64, and Ban Phuc Hoang, 61, who were found fatally injured on May 18, 2022. Bone’s trial began in late January. He has pleaded not guilty.

Bone’s testimony focused — in part — on his relationship with his court-approved surety, a person responsible for supervising an accused person while on bail and ensuring they follow court-ordered conditions.

Court heard the surety was previously the partner of Bone’s late uncle. The uncle became ill and died and the surety said he turned to Bone for companionship. Bone and the surety testified the relationship was sexual.

Bone told court that he took part in this sexual relationship in exchange for funds.

In the days leading up to the killings, Bone was on bail for an unrelated offence and was prohibited from being in Edmonton alone. He was required to either attend an addictions treatment program in the city or to stay with a family friend at a home in Alberta Beach, about 70 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

Court heard that on May 15, 2022, an argument between Bone and the surety escalated at the Alberta Beach home.

The surety testified that Bone threatened him and demanded money for marijuana. Bone denied making threats, telling court he had ended their sexual relationship, which he said upset the surety, and that the dispute intensified when the surety refused to buy him marijuana.

“I wasn’t trying to cause any damages to his house,” he testified.

The surety left the home and contacted RCMP. An officer testified the surety reported Bone was threatening his property.

Police then drove Bone into west Edmonton and dropped him off unsupervised, despite his bail condition prohibiting him from being in the city alone.

Bone testified he asked to be dropped off in the west end instead of downtown because he hoped to stay with an aunt and wanted to avoid the Hope Mission shelter, which he described as unsafe.

When his aunt was not home, Bone said he stayed with a drug dealer he knew, who offered him a place to sleep in exchange for help with dishes. The dealer was returning a favour after he previously lost some of Bone’s property. Bone testified he used methamphetamine that night.

He told court he later contacted his probation officer seeking emergency housing. Bone testified he was told he could be fast-tracked into a recovery program, but said he did not believe that it was possible to kick people off a waitlist.

Crown prosecutor Anders Quist told Bone applicants can be moved up waitlists even if others cannot be removed from programs.

Three days later, on May 18, 2022, Bone was arrested near the scenes of two fatal assaults in Chinatown.

On Friday, Justice Paul Belzil dismissed the first of several Charter applications the defence will present. 

The Crown has finished presenting its case. The defence is scheduled to begin presenting its case in June, at which time arguments on other applications will be heard.

Bone remains in custody.