Judge to give closing arguments to Lac Megantic criminal negligence trial

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SHERBROOKE, Que. — The judge at the Lac-Megantic criminal-negligence trial is to give his instructions to the jury today.

Defence lawyers wrapped up their closing arguments Tuesday.

Tom Harding, Richard Labrie and Jean Demaitre are charged with criminal negligence in the disaster that killed 47 people in July 2013 when a runaway train carrying crude derailed in Lac-Megantic and exploded.

They have pleaded not guilty.

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

The jurors will be sequestered once Quebec Superior Court Justice Gaetan Dumas has given them their instructions.