SaskatoonJurors at Roderick Sutherland’s trial have now heard all of the graphic details about the death of Megan Gallagher five years ago in a Saskatoon garage. Later this week, they will go behind closed doors to decide the extent — if any — of Sutherland’s role in her death on Sept. 20, 2020.Jury to receive judge’s instructions Thursday before beginning deliberationsDan Zakreski · CBC News · Posted: Oct 14, 2025 9:15 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours agoRoderick Sutherland is charged with manslaughter in the 2020 death of Megan Gallagher. Lawyers made their closing arguments at his trial at Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench on Tuesday. (Chanss Lagaden/CBC)Jurors at Roderick Sutherland’s trial have now heard all of the graphic details about the death of Megan Gallagher five years ago in a Saskatoon garage.Later this week, they will go behind closed doors to decide the extent — if any — of Sutherland’s role in her death on Sept. 20, 2020.Sutherland has pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter, unlawful confinement and offering an indignity to human remains. His trial in Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench began on Oct. 6.On Tuesday, Crown prosecutor Bill Burge and defence lawyer Blaine Beaven made their final submissions to the jury.”The evidence is that he was deeply involved from start to finish,” Burge said.”We’re not suggesting he caused her death directly.… You can be guilty without being involved in the final act.”Sutherland’s lawyer cautioned the jurors.”We are not in a court of morals or wishes,” Beaven said. “It was his garage but he had no more control over what happened than Megan Gallagher did.”Both sets of closing arguments focused on an interview Sutherland gave police in July 2021, and testimony from Robert (Bobby) Thomas during the trial. Sutherland did not testify.Burge urged jurors to pay close attention to an agreed statement of facts entered as evidence that he said provided an independent timeline of what happened in the garage, and showed that Sutherland assisted in Gallagher’s unlawful confinement.Jurors heard, in Sutherland’s police interview, that Cheyann Peeteetuce, Summer-Sky Henry and Thomas had asked Sutherland to use the garage to question Gallagher. Burge said that Sutherland’s account of leaving and returning, and then asking the people there to leave when he saw that Gallagher had been tied to a chair, is not supported by the timeline “and he’s leaving things out.” He said the testimony from Thomas, who is serving a life sentence for second-degree murder for his role, showed that Sutherland actively participated in her death.Thomas testified Sutherland told him he had assaulted Gallagher with “knuckledusters” and said, “I got her for you, my brother. I got your back.””Then he told me that she admitted to trying to set me up.” Burge said, “There was nothing to be gained, nothing to benefit” Thomas by exaggerating Sutherland’s role.Beaven said that Thomas lied to police in a five-hour interview and then at two preliminary hearings, so he should not be trusted at this trial.He said that Thomas had a clear motive to lie about Sutherland’s role — revenge — because Sutherland had implicated Thomas in Gallagher’s death when he spoke to police in July 2021.Beaven said that Sutherland found himself in a situation over which he had no control.”The idea that they [Peeteetuce, Henry and Thomas] are asking permission doesn’t make sense,” he said.”It’s chaos that’s happening. There’s no plan. They’re all on meth.”Beaven said jurors cannot convict Sutherland because they do not approve of his lifestyle, his drug use or friends — or because of what they may believe he should have done.Justice John Morrall will give his instructions to the jury on Thursday morning.ABOUT THE AUTHORDan Zakreski is a reporter in Saskatoon.
Lawyers make final arguments at manslaughter trial for Roderick Sutherland
