Jurors hearing Nicholas Butcher trial enter second day of deliberations

Deliberations in the second-degree murder trial for Nicholas Butcher continue Saturday. Butcher, 36, pleaded not guilty and has been on trial at Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Halifax since the beginning of April.

The Crown has alleged Butcher killed Kristin Johnston by stabbing her multiple times in the throat. Johnston was originally from Montreal and at one point, operated a yoga studio in downtown Halifax.

READ MORE: No verdict reached in Nicholas Butcher murder trial, deliberations to continue Saturday

The trial has heard that the 32-year-old’s lifeless body was found on a blood soaked mattress in her bedroom at 17 Oceanview Drive in the Purcells Cove area on March 26, 2016.

The court has heard from more than 30 witnesses through the three week trial. The only defence witness to testify was Butcher himself, who told the court he acted in self-defence when he stabbed Johnston.

READ MORE: Jury in Nicholas Butcher murder trial start deliberations

Butcher told the seven-woman, five-man jury that he was sleeping when he woke up to someone on top of him, stabbing him in the throat. He testified he flipped the person over, got control of the knife and stabbed them. It was only after he turned on a lamp in the bedroom that he said he discovered the person who attacked him was Johnston and that she was dead.

The court also heard that Butcher attempted to kill himself multiple times following Johnston’s death, including by cutting off part of his arm with a mitre saw.

The jury can reach three verdicts in the case – not guilty, guilty of second-degree murder or guilty of the lesser offence of manslaughter.