A man who was repeatedly questioned by police about the death of Erin Howlett testified Wednesday that he felt police were pressuring him to finger Michael Ball as her killer.
It was the second straight day of testimony from Cody Cook, a high school friend of Ball’s who reconnected with him about a year before Howlett’s death.
Cook said that although he felt police wanted him to say Ball killed Howlett, he never told them anything of the sort.
He became tearful as he described an incident from the fall of 2013 – several months after Howlett’s death, and before Ball was arrested in connection with the case.
At that time, Cook’s girlfriend was at Fairview Park Mall when a stranger handed her an envelope.
Inside the envelope, jurors heard, was a photo of Ball and Cook, and a written note claiming Cook helped Ball kill Howlett.
“I know you and Mike killed Erin,” the note read. “I have everything I need to prove it from Mike's place!! Soon the cops will too!!”
Drawn on the note were black bars, which Cook said he took to indicate jail bars, and the phrase “at Kingston Pen.”
Cook said that he considered the note an attempt to frame him for Howlett’s murder.
He told the court that he feared for his life, which is why he and his girlfriend moved out of Ontario.
Later on, he said, he learned who was responsible for the note.
“Someone called us and said it was an undercover officer,” he testified.
Ball was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Howlett’s death in November 2013. He has pleaded not guilty.
Cook was never charged with any offences in connection with Howlett’s death.
During his testimony, he also agreed with Ball’s layer that rumours were spreading “on the street” that ball was upset with Howlett and wanted to hurt her, starting more than a month before she died.
Jurors have heard testimony indicating that Ball was upset with Howlett for cheating on him and stealing drugs from him.
