Scoffs of the late Rama Gauravarapu鈥檚 family filled the courtroom as Tejwant Danjou鈥檚 defence lawyers painted him as a man who was so in love that it 鈥渄rove him crazy.鈥�
As the Crown rested its case in Danjou鈥檚 second-degree murder trial on Tuesday, June 2, defence lawyer Donna Turko picked up hers, giving the court a different representation of the man who had been previously shown to the courts, through numerous witnesses, to be abusive, controlling and jealous.
In her brief opening statement, Turko submitted that Danjou, in addition to harbouring severe jealousy, was mentally unwell at the time he bludgeoned his common-law partner to death with a wine bottle in a West 琉璃神社 hotel room on July 22, 2018.
鈥淲e鈥檝e heard it from the victim herself,鈥� Turko said. 鈥淲ords to the effect of 鈥榶ou鈥檙e crazy鈥�, 鈥榶our head鈥檚 not working鈥�.鈥�
Turko said Danjou became delusional about Gauravarapu having relationships with other men.
鈥淚t tormented him,鈥� she said. 鈥淎t the time of the tragic death of Ms. Gauravarapu, Mr. Danjou did not have the requisite intent to commit the murder of the woman he loved so much.鈥�
If the defence can prove that Danjou did not have intent to kill Gauravarapu, or couldn鈥檛 form it due to his mental state, he could end up being convicted of manslaughter rather than second-degree murder.
Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Todd Tomita, the defence鈥檚 first witness, provided some insight into Danjou鈥檚 delusion.
Through two interviews with Danjou, amounting to six hours total, Tomita diagnosed Danjou with delusional disorder-jealous type.
鈥淎 delusion is by definition, a false, fixed idea that鈥檚 held with subjective certainty,鈥� Tomita testified. 鈥淚f that idea is influencing someone鈥檚 interpretation of events, then it can affect their decision making in a way that they鈥檙e not making decisions on objective, consensual reality. They鈥檙e making it based on their delusional interpretation of what is occurring.鈥�
Tomita drew several examples of Danjou鈥檚 pathological jealousy from the six hours they spent speaking at Okanagan Correctional Centre, one of which stemmed from a 2018 flight Danjou and Gauravarapu took to Las Vegas.
Danjou claimed to Tomita that Gauravarapu had 鈥渉iked up her dress鈥� while on the plane, allowing the man in the seat next to her to 鈥渇lirt and fondle her.鈥�
鈥淚 took it as nothing, but he said a man sitting next to him fondled her leg,鈥� Tomita said.
Even something as simple as 鈥渆ndearing eyes鈥� from Gauravarapu to one of Danjou鈥檚 friends led to fights between the two, Tomita told the courts.
Danjou upheld this belief after Gauravarapu鈥檚 death, according to the testimony of one officer tasked with keeping custody of Danjou on the night of his arrest.
Const. Rick Goodwin testified Danjou wanted the RCMP to check a Ford F150 in Surrey that contained 鈥渃rucial evidence鈥� of Gauravarapu鈥檚 infidelity.
In March, the court heard RCMP discovered Danjou hiding in a dumpster shortly after Gauravarapu was found covered in blood, clinging to life in their nearby West 琉璃神社 hotel room. She died a short time after RCMP鈥檚 arrival and Danjou was arrested.
Danjou 鈥� who entered a surprise guilty plea as the trial commenced on Feb. 25 before retracting it the next day 鈥� has admitted to causing Gauravarapu鈥檚 life-ending injuries but did not admit to having the intention to kill her, the latter being a key component of a second-degree murder conviction.
The trial resumed on Monday (June 1) after two and a half months of delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two weeks have been set aside for the completion of Danjou鈥檚 judge-alone trial.
READ MORE: Surrey man accused of murdering his partner in West 琉璃神社 back in court
READ MORE: Surrey couple had abusive relationship prior to woman鈥檚 West 琉璃神社 murder
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