Ottawa's Superior Court of Justice began jury selection this week in the first-degree murder trial of Fsha Tekhle, who is accused in the 2024 death of Brkti Berhein.
What happened in court
Tekhle appeared in an Ottawa courtroom on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. He did, however, plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. The Crown rejected that manslaughter plea, a decision that means prosecutors intend to pursue the more serious murder charge rather than accept a resolution on lesser terms. With that plea rejected, the case moves forward as a full trial rather than being resolved through a guilty plea.
Why this matters for Ottawa
Murder trials are relatively rare in the city, and jury selection itself is a significant undertaking. Dozens of Ottawa residents are typically summoned as potential jurors, and the process of questioning and selecting a panel that can hear weeks of evidence and testimony can take days on its own. For Ottawa residents following the case, or those who may be called for jury duty, this stage marks the formal start of what is expected to be a lengthy court process at the Elgin Street courthouse downtown.
The case stems from the 2024 death of Brkti Berhein. Details of the alleged circumstances have not been made public at this stage, as the trial itself will be where evidence is formally presented and tested.
What comes next
With jury selection underway, the next phase will involve opening statements from the Crown and defence, followed by the presentation of evidence. Because the Crown has rejected the manslaughter plea and is proceeding on the first-degree murder charge, the trial is expected to run for an extended period as both sides lay out their case before the jury.
Ottawa's court system will continue to provide updates as the trial progresses, and further hearings are expected to be scheduled in the coming weeks as the jury is finalized and the trial formally opens.
Source: CBC Ottawa
