A trial for a woman accused of allegedly counselling her husband to commit suicide has been adjourned till March 15 when the court will hear final arguments in Cranbrook provincial court.
Terri Reimer, who is charged with administer a noxious thing with intent to endanger, aiding/abetting a person to commit suicide and counselling a person to commit suicide, took the stand in her defence after Crown counsel concluded its case in on Thursday afternoon.
The incident at the heart of the trial, presided by Judge Ron Webb, occurred on March 22, 2016 in Cranbrook, when William Reimer, Terri's husband, was taken to hospital after ingesting pain and anti-anxiety pills following a fight between the two over marital infidelity.
The argument stemmed from a posting on Facebook earlier that day from William that contained allegations of infidelity and an intimate photograph that was briefly shared to the social media website.
Terri testified she came home late on March 22, 2016, after filling an antibiotics prescription at Wal-Mart. She said pills she takes for pain and anxiety were gone and she blamed William, noting an incident a few weeks prior where he had stolen her pills and ingested them during a suicide attempt.
She testified he speaking on the phone with someone, going back and forth from her bedroom to the living room, where he was sitting on a chair. When she came out of her bedroom a third time over the course of the evening, she testified he had a gun resting in his lap.
Before Terri took the stand, the court heard from Rhonda Reimer, William's sister-in-law, who was speaking with William over the phone after he had ingested the pills.
Rhonda, a retired RCMP officer, testified she phoned William out of concern for his well-being after seeing worrying Facebook messages.
Rhonda said she overheard Terri in the background of the conversation telling William that he was a 'coward' and that he should 'just do it' and 'I'll get your gun'.
Rhonda contacted 911 using a landline and stayed on the phone with both until the call with William, who had become increasingly unresponsive, was disconnected.
Terri admitted to calling him a coward and asking him if she should go get a gun. However, she also said she did not get a gun, nor give one to him.
"I would never tell him to commit suicide," Terri said. "I love him too much and I still do."
The trial has been adjourned till March 15 for final submissions with a decision expected the next day.