Three men who attacked the Turkish Embassy last year were following "the normal instinct of self-preservation" when they shot Pinkerton security guard Claude Brunelle, defence lawyer Jerome Choquette said yesterday.

In his closing address to an Ontario Supreme Court jury, Mr. Choquette said the three men were "patriots and idealists" who seized the embassy only to publicize the suffering of Armenians at the hands of the Turkish government early in the century.

The men were surprised, however, to find a security guard on duty, Mr. Choquette said. Mr. Brunelle may have fired the first shots and it was only human that the three would respond by opening fire, he said.

The outcome was "something close to or akin to" self-defence or an accident, Mr. Choquette said.

Ohannes Noubarian, Kevork Marachelian and Rafi Titizian have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.

Mr. Choquette, who did not call any defence witnesses at the three- week trial, argued repeatedly in his address that the accused did not intend to kill anyone when they stormed the embassy on March 12, 1985.

Crown prosecutor Andrejs Berzins told the jury, however, that the men were so heavily armed it was clear they were planning to seize the embassy by force and kill anyone who stood in their way. 

Globe & Mail (Toronto, Canada), October 30, 1986From Opposing Viewpoints in Context

 

Byline: ALISON HARE

Three men who attacked the Turkish Embassy last year were following "the normal instinct of self-preservation" when they shot Pinkerton security guard Claude Brunelle, defence lawyer Jerome Choquette said yesterday.

In his closing address to an Ontario Supreme Court jury, Mr. Choquette said the three men were "patriots and idealists" who seized the embassy only to publicize the suffering of Armenians at the hands of the Turkish government early in the century.

The men were surprised, however, to find a security guard on duty, Mr. Choquette said. Mr. Brunelle may have fired the first shots and it was only human that the three would respond by opening fire, he said.

The outcome was "something close to or akin to" self-defence or an accident, Mr. Choquette said.

Ohannes Noubarian, Kevork Marachelian and Rafi Titizian have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.

Mr. Choquette, who did not call any defence witnesses at the three- week trial, argued repeatedly in his address that the accused did not intend to kill anyone when they stormed the embassy on March 12, 1985.

Crown prosecutor Andrejs Berzins told the jury, however, that the men were so heavily armed it was clear they were planning to seize the embassy by force and kill anyone who stood in their way. 

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