Pickton Defence Lawyer Says He Has Lots More Questions for Lead Investigator

NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. (CP) – Robert Pickton’s defence lawyer says he has lots more questions for the lead police investigator in the case.

Peter Ritchie says he will continue to cross-examine Insp. Don Adam today, even though Adam has already spent six days in the witness box. Ritchie has been painstakingly questioning Adam about investigators’ treatment of Pickton during an 11-hour police interrogation. Jurors viewed a videotape of the interview over more than two days last week.

Ritchie suggested Tuesday police pushed Pickton to fatigue, badgering and lying to him.

He also suggested Adam was biased against Pickton because Adam repeatedly demanded Pickton tell the truth in the interview.

“Throughout the interview I wanted the truth,” said Adam. “I didn’t want him to tell me a bunch of stories.”

Adam then clarified for Ritchie that he didn’t want Pickton to confess to murders he didn’t commit.

Ritchie said then said he found it odd that police would urge Pickton not to confess to something he didn’t do.

“I don’t know that I had talked to a serial killer before this, so it just seemed like the right thing to say,” Adam responded.

“You’ve got him convicted already,” Ritchie said.

“In my mind I believed he was guilty,” Adam said.

Pickton has been charged with killing 26 women from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, but the current trial is on only six of the counts. A trial on the remaining 20 will take place later.

Exchanges between Adam and Ritchie became increasingly testy on Tuesday.

At one point, Adam testified he told Pickton a friend of his was co-operating with investigators when in fact, she had flatly refused to do so.

Adam said he was being ”misleading,” prompting Ritchie to snap ”It’s called a lie.”