Warning: This story may be disturbing for some readers.
Bar staff were in the hot seat Monday as the second-degree murder trial for 29-year-old Mohamed Omar continued in Victoria.
Lucky Bar security staff described the brief fight that Crown believes is when 30-year-old John Dickinson was stabbed twice.
Not having money to pay cover, appearing rude and avoiding eye contact are how Lucky Bar workers say the accused appeared to them before being kicked out, muttering a threat, then getting into a fight, where Dickinson died after being stabbed.
On an “exceptionally busy” 90s night at Lucky Bar in March of 2022, Dickinson and Omar got into a heated argument. Neither wanted to tell security why they were arguing.
Omar accused the security guard of not wanting to listen to his side of the story and just wanting to kick him out. Dickinson, who had been drinking but didn’t seem heavily intoxicated, said he didn’t want to get banned from the bar, so he was just going to leave.
Story continues below
As security tried to figure out what they were fighting about, they asked Omar to leave the bar on three separate occasions.
“I heard him muttering something under his breath. Something to the effect of “I’m going to f*** this guy up,” testified Rupert Cameron, a doorman with Lucky Bar.
“He was calm, but it looked like he was thinking about something intensely, or something was bothering him that he was thinking about.”
Another security guard described what ended up being Dickinson’s last moments — taking his partner in his arms, heading home for the night.
READ PREVIOUS: ‘It was self-defence’: Accused admits to 2022 stabbing in Victoria in 911 call
The head of Lucky Bar security guard said once Dickinson saw Omar outside, Dickinson pushed his girlfriend to the side and rushed to Omar. Security was right on Dickinson’s heels, quickly trying to hold him back by the shoulders before trying to get in between the men before they all tripped and the three of them fell to the ground.
“Just from trying to pull them apart, someone was holding someone quite strongly,” Caleb Parshyn, Lucky Bar’s head of security, told the courtroom.
Parshyn says he was able to rip the two men apart, testifying he heard Dickinson say, “He’s done,” and Omar say, “It’s done, the fight’s over,” as they were separated.
Dickinson was then brought to his feet but stood only for a moment.
“He let out a grunt,” said Parshyn. “It just looked like he crumpled.”
Parshyn testified Dickinson had the inside of his intestines showing where Dickinson’s girlfriend tried to perform first aid. She could be seen quietly sobbing in the gallery during his testimony.
An officer has previously testified the knife found at the scene had a hook on the end.
In a 911 call previously played to the 12-person jury, Omar told 911 dispatcher Kuzivakwashe Mujakachi that “it was self-defence” and that he’d dropped the knife just outside the bar.
Crown prosecutors have said the testimony heard here today is their most important. Omar, who is representing himself, didn’t have any questions to ask the security guards when it was his turn to cross-examine them.
The trial is scheduled until the end of the month.
Kori Sidaway
