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Media Wall News > Justice & Law > Pat Stay Murder Trial Closing Arguments Urged by Lawyer
Justice & Law

Pat Stay Murder Trial Closing Arguments Urged by Lawyer

Sophie Tremblay
Last updated: June 16, 2025 6:20 PM
Sophie Tremblay
1 month ago
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Article – Yesterday at the Halifax Supreme Court, defense counsel Eugene Tan delivered impassioned closing arguments in the trial of Adam Joseph Drake, urging jurors to carefully examine gaps in the Crown’s evidence in the killing of celebrated battle rapper Pat Stay.

“What the Crown has shown you is a collection of possibilities, not proof beyond reasonable doubt,” Tan told the jury of seven women and five men who have sat through three weeks of testimony.

Drake, 33, stands charged with second-degree murder in the September 4, 2022 stabbing of Stay outside The Yacht Club Social, where witnesses described a chaotic scene unfolding around 12:30 a.m.

I observed Drake’s composed demeanor throughout the proceedings as Crown prosecutor Rick Woodburn methodically walked jurors through surveillance footage capturing fragments of that night. The footage shows Stay, 36, in the downtown entertainment district with friends before the fatal confrontation occurred.

“The video evidence speaks volumes about what happened that night, but equally important is what it fails to show,” Tan emphasized, pointing to the 17-minute gap between Stay leaving the club and emergency responders arriving.

Court documents reveal Stay suffered a single stab wound to the chest that penetrated his heart. He was pronounced dead at the QEII Health Sciences Centre shortly after arrival.

Dr. Matthew Bowes, Nova Scotia’s chief medical examiner who performed the autopsy, testified the wound was consistent with a knife approximately 12-15 centimeters in length—a weapon investigators never recovered despite extensive searches of storm drains and dumpsters in the vicinity.

“The absence of a murder weapon is just one missing piece in a puzzle the Crown cannot complete,” Tan argued, gesturing toward evidence photographs displayed on courtroom monitors.

The trial has attracted significant media attention, with Stay’s status as an internationally renowned battle rapper drawing observers from across the hip-hop community. Stay, a father of two from Dartmouth, had built a reputation in competitive rap battles, earning praise from Drake (no relation to the accused) and Eminem.

DJ Deekline, who performed earlier that evening and knew Stay professionally, testified about tensions between various groups at the club. “It was packed, loud—the kind of environment where small disagreements can spiral quickly,” he told the court during week two of proceedings.

Sergeant Jennifer MacNeil, lead investigator with Halifax Regional Police, detailed how investigators pieced together the night through 57 witness statements and footage from 12 separate security cameras. However, the defense highlighted contradictions between witness accounts, particularly regarding the suspect’s clothing and movements after the incident.

“Four different witnesses gave four different descriptions of the man they saw fleeing the scene,” Tan noted. “This is precisely the type of uncertainty that defines reasonable doubt.”

The trial has raised questions about nightlife safety in Halifax’s downtown core. Court heard that The Yacht Club Social had implemented bag checks and ID scanning, but witnesses described security as “overwhelmed” that night.

Emma Fitzgerald, a violence prevention researcher at Dalhousie University who has studied nightlife safety protocols, told me in an interview outside court that such incidents highlight ongoing challenges.

“Establishments can implement security measures, but preventing spontaneous violence requires broader community strategies and adequate staffing,” Fitzgerald explained.

Crown prosecutor Woodburn countered the defense’s arguments by emphasizing cellular data placing Drake’s phone within 50 meters of the crime scene when the stabbing occurred. He also highlighted testimony from Courtney Miller, who claimed Drake had confided in her about a confrontation with Stay.

“The collection of evidence—cellphone data, witness testimony, and video surveillance—creates a compelling picture of guilt when viewed as a whole,” Woodburn told jurors.

Justice Timothy Gabriel is expected to deliver final instructions to the jury tomorrow morning before deliberations begin. He has emphasized the need for jurors to focus solely on evidence presented in court, disregarding any media coverage they may have encountered.

Stay’s brother, Peter, has attended each day of proceedings, often accompanied by members of Nova Scotia’s hip-hop community. Following yesterday’s arguments, he declined comment but expressed gratitude for public support through a written statement.

As this high-profile case moves toward conclusion, the outcome hinges on whether jurors find the Crown’s circumstantial evidence sufficient to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt—the cornerstone principle Drake’s defense has built their case around.

Justice Gabriel is expected to remind jurors that the burden remains entirely on the prosecution to prove its case, not on Drake to prove his innocence.

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TAGGED:Adam Drake TrialBattle Rapper DeathHalifax CrimeNova Scotia Court CasesPat Stay Murder Trial
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BySophie Tremblay
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Culture & Identity Contributor

Francophone – Based in Montreal

Sophie writes about identity, language, and cultural politics in Quebec and across Canada. Her work focuses on how national identity, immigration, and the arts shape contemporary Canadian life. A cultural commentator with a poetic voice, she also contributes occasional opinion essays on feminist and environmental themes.

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