WARNING: This article contains graphic details and strong language heard in court that may not be suitable for some readers.

The anguished moans of a dying man could be heard in a Barrie courtroom as three 911 calls were played as the jury began hearing evidence in the second-degree murder trial of Rick Patrick in the death of Christopher Forrester .

Forrester, 36, an Orillia native who lived in Midland, died nine days before Christmas in 2021 after suffering a single 10cm-deep stab wound that pierced his heart.

Patrick, 68, a father of three and also a Midland resident, was Forrester’s owner.

During Wednesday’s court proceedings, it became clear as the tapes were played that the accused was the dominant voice on the tapes, which lasted about 10 minutes in three different calls. Two of those calls were made by Patrick, one was made by Forrester.

It has not been confirmed whether Forrester’s voice could be heard on any of the calls, but his moans made it clear he had suffered a traumatic injury.

He died at Midland Hospital a few hours later.

Patrick’s high-pitched, frantic and occasionally angry tone dominated all three recordings as callers tried to gather facts after the fatal stabbing.

“I just got home, got out of the car and he attacked me from behind,” said a voice on the third and longest call, which lasted nearly six minutes.

Much of all three calls were spent trying to establish the location of the incident so that emergency services personnel and police could attend the scene on Galloway Boulevard in Midland.

But there was also a consistent voice, presumably Patrick’s, alternating between providing details about the address, Forrester’s identity, and why he stabbed him.

“He tried to attack me when I got out of the car,” the voice on the tapes said, before saying Forrester’s name. “He’s on the ground now.”

“He came from behind and I put a knife in his chest,” the same voice could be heard screaming shortly after.

“Damn it, why would you do that?” shouted the same man.

During it opening presentation Tuesday afternoonCrown attorney Dennis Chronopoulos told the jury that Patrick spent the evening of December 15, 2021 at his partner’s home before leaving for his own residence.

The Crown alleges Patrick killed Forrester with the “necessary intent” to warrant a charge of second-degree murder.

The Crown, in its opening submissions, also said a deterioration in the relationship between the two men led to Forrester’s death, including allegations that he cut the cable wire to the trailer he rented from the accused and slashed a tire from a vehicle he owned. .

A voice on the tapes made clear reference to these allegations.

“I know who it is,” said the man, believed to be Patrick. “It’s shit. It will be evicted (for) vandalism.”

Two separate recordings — it was unclear whether both came from calls made by Patrick — also detailed Forrester’s serious condition and need for urgent assistance.

“Come here and help him,” said the voice in the second recording, which was harder to hear because it was played for the jury. “He will die.”

Audio quality was an issue and court staff struggled to provide the best possible recording for the jury to hear. That delay, which was about an hour, was eventually resolved, but it spoke to an earlier instruction from Superior Court Judge Clyde Smith, who is hearing the case, who said jurors must consider what they heard in calls as evidence, rather. than the transcript samples of all three calls.

As all three appeals were played in court, jurors could be seen watching the transcripts closely.

Forrester’s father, Lance, and two of his brothers were in the public gallery for much of the day, but were not in court to hear the appeals.

The day began with one juror being excused for health reasons, and the trial continued with 11 jurors seated. An alternate had earlier been excused Tuesday afternoon, just before opening motions in the case were heard by the original full 12-person panel.

The process is ongoing and is expected to take up to three weeks.