Ager Hasan gives emotional testimony as defence rests its case in second-degree murder trial

As Crown lawyers finished their cross-examination of Ager Hasan, his usual subdued courtroom demeanour gave way to an intense and emotional testimony.

Hasan is charged with second-degree murder in the death of his ex-girlfriend Melinda Vasilije.

While Hasan has admitted to stabbing Vasilije to death in the spring of 2017, he says she attacked him first, and he blacked out.

Throughout his first four days on the stand, Hasan spoke quietly, with the judge often asking him to speak up.

On Tuesday, Hasan raised his voice and said through tears he did not mean to kill Vasilije - showing intense emotion for the first time since the trial began.

“I should be in jail for a very long time, but I swear to god, I lost control. Convict me for life. I don’t care… but, I blacked out. Don’t try to say I did this in the right mind,” Hasan said, in part.

“I killed her, yes. I didn’t do this out of anger. I didn’t do this because we didn’t get back together. It happened because I was a [..] idiot. It’s all just hitting me.”

Hasan has admitted to stabbing Vasilije 47 times in the early hours of April 28, 2017.

According to Hasan’s previous testimony, after breaking up on April 3, the pair reconciled on the 27.

Security camera footage showed them at Hasan’s vehicle less than an hour before her death.

The footage shows Vasilije going back to her apartment while Hasan walks to his car door.

He then turns around and follows Vasilije back inside.

According to Hasan, once back in her apartment, he admitted to cheating on her during their relationship.

Hasan says at this point she attacked him with a knife. He says he remembers grabbing a knife and stabbing her twice before blacking out.

On cross-examination, Crown attorney Brendan Thomas directed a barrage of questions at Hasan.

“You treated her bad? You cheated on her? You gave her an STI and didn’t tell her? You tried to make her think she was responsible for it? You refused to get treatment? You never told her because you didn’t want to lose the relationship?” Thomas asked.

Hasan answered “yes” to each question.

He was then asked by Thomas: “You were desperate to get her back, you were obsessed, you lied and tried to manipulate her, you said anything to meet with her in person, and you finally got what you wanted?”

He was also asked: “Your one moment of honesty came just before you killed Melinda?”

Court then saw the text Hasan sent Vasilije an hour after her death.

It reads: “Nice seeing you tonight glad we worked things out!! You better have deleted that [..] lol. Anyways see you soon.”

According to Hasan, he sent the message because he thought it might make the police think it wasn't him invovled.

The crown then showed an email sent by Hasan to a Waterloo regional police officer nearly two months after the stabbing

In it, Hasan writes in part: “I’m considering turning myself in, before I do I need you to do something for me. I need you to answer a few questions for me, I know you don’t have to but I will be willing to turn myself in, but I need the answers to these questions first.

He then goes on to say: My first question is, did Melinda ever sleep with anyone else in the course of our relationship (cheat) or not? After we broke up in (sic) April 3 did Melinda ever go on a date between then and April 28? Also did she ever sleep with anyone during the course of that time (sic).”

“If I get the answers I will turn myself in, hopefully before her birthday on June 28."

The Crown has portrayed Hasan as extremely insecure and obsessed with the idea that Vasilije was cheating on him.

They say this email shows he was still dwelling on it 51 days after he killed her.