Man Accused of 2023 Murder Testified To Being In Life of Death Situation

The cross-examination of a man facing second-degree murder charges in connection with a 2023 homicide in Brooks continued Tuesday with the accused again asserting that the fatal blow he levelled with a baseball bat was in self defence.

Abune Getahun, 45, was charged four months after the July 23, 2023 incident in which Tesfahiwot Haile, 41, was struck in the head with an aluminum baseball bat, dying three days later at a Calgary hospital.

During cross-examination by the Crown which began on Monday, Getahun testified again that it was Haile who was the aggressor during the incident, banging and yelling on the accused man’s apartment door followed by him trying to push his way into the residence.

Crown Brian Shantz questioned Getahun about the incident second-by-second led up to the physical interaction, suggesting to the man he had options rather than using deadly force, including just leaving the scene or calling police.

“When he comes  to my home, what am I supposed to do,” Getahun testified through an Amharic translator. “I’m not at someone else’s home, I’m at my home. . .It was a life or death situation.”

Getahun testified Haile was threatening to kill him, the door to his home was already damaged from a previous incident and could only be secured by utilizing a block of wood and the baseball bat wedged against it which wasn’t enough.

Getahun testified again of the two men getting into a shoving match in the threshold of the apartment and at one point, Haile entered into the residence by a couple of steps before being shoved back out. It was at that point, Getahun testified to reaching down, grabbing the bat and striking a single blow with the bat in his right hand on Haile’s forehead.

Getahun rejected suggestions that he actually went into his bedroom to retrieve the bat. 

The accused admitted to leaving with the bat following striking Haile, eventually tossing it over a fence of a neighbouring business.

Shantz questioned Getahun about the two 911 calls the man had made to get medical assistance for Haile while outside the commercial building where his residence was on the second floor. The Crown asked Getahun why he didn’t tell the 911 operator what happened when prompted rather than saying he didn’t know nor elaborating much more than stating that he’d seen Haile fall and start bleeding during the second call.

Getahun said he was just trying to get help for Haile and he’d talk to first responders later. But he stated he didn’t stick around in the immediate area when they arrived. He was initially arrested, however, a short distance away.

Under re-examination by defence lawyer Kirsten Lancee also asked her client about the 911 call, noting that Getahun also stated, “save him please.”

Asked about why he’d stated that, Getahun responded, “I wanted to get him help.”

Getahun was the sole defence witness with testimony in the trial ending on Tuesday.

Jury deliberations are anticipated to begin on Wednesday.