‘Guilty of being stupid’: Defence argues Saskatoon man made poor choices but didn’t kill girlfriend

WATCH: During closing arguments in a Saskatoon murder trial, the defence argued Andrew Rosenfeldt is guilty of being “stupid,” not murder.

During closing arguments in a Saskatoon murder trial, the defence argued the accused was “stupid” when he hid the gun and lied to police, but said he is not a murderer.

Andrew Rosenfeldt, 28, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend, 20-year-old Nykera Brown.

Brown was found shot in the head on Nov. 15, 2022, inside the Avenue P South apartment the couple shared.

Police found a gun hidden in the box spring of their bed. The scope and bolt were found in a kitchen cabinet.

Defence lawyer Chris Murphy suggested Rosenfeldt was lying in bed when he heard a gunshot and found Brown dead.

He said Rosenfeldt panicked because he had an ankle monitor, drugs and ammunition in the suite, and hid the gun while on the phone with 9-1-1.

“He’s guilty of being stupid, he’s not guilty of being a murderer,” Murphy argued.

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Court heard that in his police interview the next day, Rosenfeldt first claimed two masked men ran from his apartment after the shot.

When officers said there was no video evidence of a break-in, he changed his account and said Brown shot herself.

Murphy said Rosenfeldt lied because he couldn’t accept that Brown may have shot herself. He argued the evidence supports a self-inflicted shooting, pointing to no signs of a struggle and Brown’s suicidal thoughts at the time.

Crown prosecutor Elizabeth Addabor said when Brown struggled with depression in the past, she reached out for help, and there was no indication she was suicidal the night she died.

Addabor said Brown was making plans to stay with her brother and go to detox, and pointed to her journal and witnesses who said she wanted to get sober and regain custody of her son.

She said the journal also details a volatile relationship and that Brown wanted to leave it.

Once closing arguments wrap up, Justice Heather McMillan-Brown will decide Rosenfeldt’s fate.