Direct examination of 17-year-old accused wraps up at murder trial in Halifax youth courtPublished Apr 04, 2025 • 5 minute readPolice process the scene of a fatal stabbing in a parkade at Halifax Shopping Centre on April 22, 2024. Four youths were arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of Amhad Maher Al Marrach, 16. Photo by Tim KrochakA Dartmouth boy on trial for murder says that when he set up a group assault on Ahmad Maher Al Marrach last April, he did not intend for the Halifax teen to die.The 17-year-old was back on the stand in Halifax youth court Friday for a second day of direct examination by his lawyer, Anna Mancini.Ahmad, 16, was stabbed in the chest during an altercation in a parking garage at Halifax Shopping Centre on April 22, 2024. The Citadel High School student was pronounced dead at the Halifax Infirmary.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentFour young people involved in the incident were charged with second-degree murder. Three of the youths have pleaded guilty – two to the lesser charge of manslaughter and one to second-degree murder.The identities of all four accused are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.The lone teen to go to trial began testifying Monday in his own defence.Text messages show he and Ahmad agreed to meet in the mall parkade for a one-on-one fight over a girl they both had been dating.The Dartmouth boy, who was 16 at the time, showed up with two male friends, as well as a girl, who recorded video of much of the interaction on her cellphone. The incident was also captured on surveillance video.As planned by the accused, the other two boys jumped into the fight within seconds of it starting.After being punched and kicked by the trio for about 55 seconds, Ahmad got back on his feet.The accused testified Friday that as far as he was concerned, the fight was over at that point because he and Ahmad had resolved their beef.Article content“Are you done?” he can be heard yelling at Ahmad. “Walk away now.”But one of the boy’s companions noticed Ahmad’s sneakers and demanded he hand them over. A few moments later, a 14-year-old Lower Sackville boy began fighting with Ahmad.By then, several of Ahmad’s friends had arrived in the parkade. The accused said he saw one of them hold a backpack in front of his chest, and he was worried he might have a weapon in it.“I thought someone was going to pull out a knife and come at us,” he said. “I was just expecting the worst.”He said Ahmad quickly gained the upper hand on the Lower Sackville boy and placed him in a headlock. That prompted the boy’s girlfriend, a Lower Sackville 14-year-old, to begin shouting “get the f— off my man.” She pushed the pair to the ground and kicked Ahmad in the head multiple times.The accused said by that point, he had removed a knife he always carried in his backpack for protection and held it at his side, pointed at the ground.“I was still outnumbered,” he said. “I didn’t know what they (Ahmad’s friends) were going to do.”Article contentHe said he moved toward the fight and used one of his feet to try to push Ahmad away from his friend.Ahmad got up and went toward his friends, so the accused said he began putting his knife away.“It seems like it’s all ended again,” he said of the altercation.“I’m looking away from everyone, my back turned, and I see a bit of commotion out of the side of my eye.”Surveillance videos show that the Lower Sackville girl fell to the ground when Ahmad tried to stop her from taking his backpack. The Lower Sackville boy then stepped towards Ahmad and plunged a knife into his chest.The accused said he didn’t see the stabbing happen. He saw Ahmad holding his chest and hopping over a concrete barrier before dropping to one knee and then collapsing on his back.“I was shocked,” he said, “confused by why (the Lower Sackville boy) stabbed him.”He said he told Ahmad’s friends to call 911 before walking over to the victim and bending down to comfort him. He said he held Ahmad’s head, saying “stay with me” and “breathe.”Article content“When I was standing over him, holding onto his head, I’m pretty sure he died,” he said of Ahmad. He said Ahmad’s eyes went back in his head, he turned grey and he stopped moving.“I’d never seen anyone die before, but I’m pretty sure that’s what that was.”He said he and a 16-year-old Halifax boy walked away and boarded a bus at the transit terminal on the opposite side of Mumford Road.“I was scared,” he said. “I didn’t know what to do. … I didn’t want to get into trouble.”Police boarded the bus on North Street in Halifax and arrested the two boys. He said he was put in an interview room and told he was probably going to be charged with attempted murder.A few minutes later, an officer entered the room and said he was being charged with a homicide.He said the officer left the room, slamming the door, “and my world kind of stopped.”Mancini showed the boy some rap lyrics he wrote about two weeks later while in custody at the Northeast Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Pictou County. He said the lyrics referred to Ahmad “talking shit, and now he’s in a grave.”Article contentHe explained he penned the lyrics as therapy after finding out people were making threats against his family and saying they were going to kill him when he gets out of jail.The accused admitted he knew the other two boys who accompanied him to the parkade sometimes carried knives, but he said he “had no knowledge” they were armed that day.He said he did not know the Lower Sackville boy was going to stab Ahmad.When he pulled out his own knife during the altercation, he said it was only “to make sure no one came at me.”He said he never planned or intended to rob Ahmad or steal his possessions, and had no knowledge beforehand that his friends were going to steal Ahmad’s things.He said he did not intend for Ahmad to be seriously injured by him or his friends.“Did you intend to hurt Ahmad so badly that he might die?” Mancini asked her client.“No,” he answered.“Did you think anybody who went with you to the fight was going to hurt him so badly he’d die?” the lawyer said.“No,” the defendant said.“Did you intend in any way to participate in, assist or aid in causing Ahmad’s death?” Mancini said.“No,” the teen replied.Sharon Goodwin, one of three Crown attorneys assigned to the case, began cross-examining the accused Friday afternoon. The trial will resume Monday in front of Judge Elizabeth Buckle.Article content
Dartmouth boy testifies he did not intend for assault victim to die
