A witness in the Ranjit Mangat murder trial had a bout of amnesia Tuesday, forcing the Crown to use the statement he gave to police two years ago.
Blair Amey, a friend of accused Michael DeBrocke, testified that he couldn't recall what he and DeBrocke had spoken about the day after the shooting, nor what he'd said in his statement to police.
DeBrocke and Usman Pervez are charged with first-degree murder in Mangat's death. The Crown alleges that Pervez paid DeBrocke $20,000 because he believed Mangat played a role in the drive-by shooting of his younger brother, Adnan Pervez, in December 2000.
Mangat was shot in front of his house in March 2001.
The driver of the get-away van testified earlier that Pervez guided DeBrocke through the shooting using a walkie-talkie, and that he then drove DeBrocke to Calgary in a van.
The Crown asked Amey about DeBrocke's visit the day following Mangat's death. Amey replied he couldn't remember much.
The Crown then read the statement Amey gave to police a few months after the shooting, in which he said DeBrocke admitted he'd killed someone for money in Edmonton and paid Amey $200 to get rid of the van.
Asked to confirm the details in the statement, Amey only replied "sure" and "I guess so."