Justin Bone testifies in own murder trial, citing release condition violation

Accused killer Justin Bone took the stand in his own defense Thursday, testifying in an Edmonton courtroom during his trial for the 2022 Chinatown murders. Bone has pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Hung Trang and Ban Phuc Hoang.

The defense presented a 49-minute video recorded in the back of an RCMP cruiser. The footage shows Bone being driven to Edmonton after a domestic dispute at a residence in Alberta Beach. Bone's release conditions from a previous offense prohibited him from entering Edmonton, and he pleaded with the officer not to take him there.

“

You're dropping me off where I can't be and you're doing it... you say you're helping me but I'm probably going to end up back in jail.

"You're dropping me off where I can't be and you're doing it... you say you're helping me but I'm probably going to end up back in jail," Bone told the officer in the video. He expressed concern about being left on the street without family support, stating, "You don't know what kind of position you're putting me in."

“

You don't know what kind of position you're putting me in.

Bone appeared agitated in the video, further stating, "I'm not going downtown. That's the worst place I can be... just drop me off in the city and I'll do the rest... I feel like the bad guy when I was trying to do everything right... I'm trying to fix my life and everyone is tearing me down." He testified earlier that after being dropped off, he used methamphetamines and had no memory of the crimes.

The trial continues Friday with the prosecution's cross-examination of Bone.

“

I'm not going downtown. That's the worst place I can be... just drop me off in the city and I'll do the rest... I feel like the bad guy when I was trying to do everything right... I'm trying to fix my life and everyone is tearing me down.