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Closing arguments to end today at Lac-Megantic criminal negligence trial

Final arguments are into their last day at the jury trial of three men charged with criminal negligence in the Lac-Megantic rail disaster that killed 47 people.
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Final arguments are into their last day at the jury trial of three men charged with criminal negligence in the Lac-Megantic rail disaster that killed 47 people.

Tom Harding, Richard Labrie and Jean Demaitre have all pleaded not guilty to one count of criminal negligence causing the death of 47 people.

On July 6, 2013, a runaway train carrying crude derailed in Lac-Megantic and exploded, killing the 47 people and destroying part of the downtown core.

Harding’s attorney, Charles Shearson, will finish his closing arguments today and Quebec Superior Court Justice Gaetan Dumas is to give his instructions to the jury Wednesday.

Harding was the train’s engineer, Labrie the traffic controller and Demaitre the manager of train operations.

The Crown delivered closing arguments in a courtroom in Sherbrooke, Que., last week, as did lawyers representing Labrie and Demaitre.