Wife put poison in meal, defendant's lawyer alleges

Friday, November 29, 2002 – Print Edition, Page A14
The Globe and Mail

St. Catharines, Ont. -- The widow of a Hamilton man who died of poisoning has been accused of sprinkling strychnine into the yogurt and vegetables she served him at his last meal.

In his summation to the jury, defence lawyer Russell Silverstein argued that the evidence against the widow, Lakhwinder Kaur Sekhon, was far stronger than the Crown's case against his client, Sukhwinder Singh Dhillon.

Mr. Dhillon, 43, was a close friend and associate of the late Ranjit Singh Khela, 25, who met an agonizing death in the early hours of June 23, 1996.

Ms. Sekhon testified her husband's dying words were about a pill given to him by Mr. Dhillon to relieve his back pain.

Mr. Silverstein said Ms. Sekhon was trapped in an abusive marriage. CP

Copyright © 2002 Bell Globemedia Interactive Inc.