"Only the Trial Is Over": Paul Bernardo Found Guilty, Global News Live, September 1, 1995

Name: "Only the Trial Is Over": Paul Bernardo Found Guilty, Global News Live, September 1, 1995
Uploaded: 2025-09-01T00:00:00Z
Duration: 14 min 25 s
Description: Global News's live coverage from outside the Toronto courthouse as Paul Bernardo was found guilty on all nine counts on September 1, 1995, with statements by Dan Mahaffy and Doug French and reaction in St. Catharines.

Global News's live coverage from outside the Toronto courthouse as Paul Bernardo was found guilty on all nine counts on September 1, 1995, with statements by Dan Mahaffy and Doug French and reaction in St. Catharines.

Subject: Paul Kenneth Bernardo
Recorded: September 1, 1995
Runtime: 14:25

Content warning: Concerns the murders of two teenage girls, sexual assault charges, the dismemberment of a victim and the videotapes of the crimes; no graphic description.

The Interview

This is not an interview, and Paul Bernardo is not heard in it: Canadian trial courts were not televised. It is Global News's live coverage from September 1, 1995, the day a Toronto jury found Bernardo guilty. The verdict interrupted the station's noon broadcast. The video shows the courthouse reporter's first bulletin, the statements of the victims' fathers to the press, a later live report on the scene in the courtroom, and reaction in St. Catharines.

Historical Context

Leslie Mahaffy, 14, of Burlington, Ontario, was abducted on June 15, 1991. Kristen French, 15, of St. Catharines, was abducted on April 16, 1992, and died on April 19, 1992. Bernardo's trial in Toronto became, in the anchor's words, "the most publicized murder case in Canadian judicial history". Videotapes of the crimes were played in court.

Circumstances

According to the reporter, the jury deliberated about six hours. Both victims' mothers wept as the verdict was read, as did members of the Homolka family; Karla Homolka's parents and her sister were in court. Bernardo showed no visible reaction. Outside, a spokesman, who is not named in the video, told the media scrum that the families would make statements but take no questions.

What the Recording Covers

The reporter lists the nine counts: two of first-degree murder, two of kidnapping, two of forcible confinement, two of aggravated sexual assault and one of offering an indignity to a human body. She explains that first-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence with no parole for 25 years. Dan Mahaffy, with his family beside him, reads a statement: "Only the trial is over," he says, explaining that the family will not speak to "a scrum of reporters" and thanking reporters who showed restraint. Doug French says the verdict brings "some sort of closure", thanks the task force, the Crown, their lawyer and supporters, asks for privacy, and ends with words for his daughter: "you can't be hurt anymore. We love you." In a second live report, the reporter describes the courtroom and recalls Bernardo's pre-trial offer to plead guilty to second-degree murder, which she says outraged the families. In St. Catharines, residents express relief and anger.

What Makes the Recording Significant

It captures the verdict as it was announced and the statements both fathers read to the press outside the courthouse that day. Dan Mahaffy's statement explains in his own words why the families kept their distance from the press.

Archival Importance

The coverage is from the broadcaster that reported the trial daily, published from its own archive.

Important Caveats

Bernardo is not heard and the courtroom is not shown. The reporters' and anchors' surnames are not given clearly in the audio (the courthouse reporter is probably Sue Sgambati, not verified). The man who introduces the families is not named. The reporter's account of the plea offer is her summary on the day. Bernardo was later declared a dangerous offender; that came after this broadcast. The YouTube title calls him a "serial killer"; the page should state his convictions.

Mike: We interrupt that report from Marlene [name as heard: "Troder" / "Trotter"; not verified]. Let's go live to Sue [name as heard: "Scambati"; not verified] outside the courthouse. Sue?

Sue: Yes, Mike. I can tell you that the jury has returned a verdict of guilty as charged on all nine counts for Paul Bernardo: first-degree murder, two counts; two counts of kidnapping; two counts of forcible confinement; two counts of aggravated sexual assault; and one count of offering an indignity to a dead body. This has just happened. Bernardo has been found guilty on all charges. It took the jury some six hours to reach that verdict. Inside the courtroom, both mothers of the victims were weeping. I'm sure it was a very emotional time. Bernardo apparently stood very stiffly in the prisoner's box and had no reaction. And that's the latest that we can bring you here: Bernardo, guilty. This trial is finally over.

Mike: So, if we can just look ahead, when would sentencing take place?

Sue: Well, it may be complicated. Uh, this is a possibility, and I [unclear: "say" / "'d say"] it's only a possibility. The, uh, conviction of first-degree murder carries an automatic sentence of life, uh, with, uh, eligibility for parole in 25 years. Now, of course, Bernardo has been convicted on all the other charges. There was no dispute, really, about all the other charges. So what may happen: Bernardo's lawyer has said that if he was convicted of first-degree murder, he would appeal that conviction. So what may happen is there will be a separate sentencing hearing on those other charges, but that remains to be seen. But, uh, the, uh, conviction of first degree carries an automatic sentence of, uh, life.

Mike: So just for the benefit of viewers who may now be tuning in, can you repeat what the verdict was and what it entails, please? Just one more time.

Sue: Well, the verdict was, uh, guilty on all nine charges. Bernardo had faced two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of forcible confinement, two counts of aggravated sexual assault, and one count of offering an indignity to a human body, and that concerns the dismemberment of Leslie Mahaffy. The two victims in this case: 15-year-old Kristen French of St. Catharines, 14-year-old Leslie Mahaffy of Burlington. And, uh, a very emotional time up in the courtroom for the victims' families. Of course, both of the girls' mothers were weeping as the verdict came down.

Mike: Okay. Thank you again very much, Sue.

Sue: Thank you.

Mike: Sue [name as heard: "Scambati"; not verified] reporting live, where you just heard Paul Bernardo has been found guilty on all nine counts, including two counts of first-degree murder. And, of course, we will have more on the Bernardo trial, the most famous, uh, or most publicized murder case in Canadian judicial history, and we will have more on that from Sue at 5:30 on First News.

Speaker Uncertain: But [Music]

Families' Spokesman: ...uh, they will make their statement. Um, they will not be taking questions, uh, but they will make their statements. And we, we hope, and they've asked me to ask you, to, to respect their wishes not to accept questions at this time. Uh, it is, uh, uh, their expectation, uh, and intention to, uh, take questions and, and discuss this in more detail at a time that, emotionally, they're in a position to do so. Um, so, uh, so now I, I'll call on, uh, on Dan Mahaffy to make a, a statement, but I do want you to appreciate that they will not be, um, taking questions.

Reporter In The Crowd: What about the French family?

Families' Spokesman: And the French family is the same. Doug French will be talking for them.

Voices In The Media Scrum: Dan... Excuse me. Oops. Please give them space. Please give them space. Can you please give them space, or else this won't happen? Back up. Come on. Back up. Back up. Back up, guys. No. [unclear: "Coming up. Let"] Come on, guys. Back up. Back up. Are you guys back?

Dan Mahaffy: This is our statement, our few comments.

Speaker Uncertain; Captions Only: Put the paper down.

Dan Mahaffy: We feel it would be inappropriate and impossible to speak how we feel at this moment. The intensity of the overwhelming pain and strong emotions have once again swept us and rendering us, it, impossible for us to adequately talk about the verdict, the death of Leslie, and what this moment really means to us. Only the trial is over. Leslie is still [unclear: "not coming home" / "coming home"]. We are confident that the dialogue and analysis of this case will continue for some time, and we would be willing and better able to communicate in a safe, comfortable and mutually beneficial setting. Our feelings and further comments would be, would be to trivialize, would be trivialized by talking to a scrum of reporters, submitting to sidewalk interviews and photographers running every which way.

Dan Mahaffy: We certainly hope our thoughts, feelings and comments at a later date will be of value to others in the public, and especially to many other victims, named and recognized, and especially those who suffer their victimizations in silence, in Ontario and all across Canada. We, Deb, (Leslie's brother, name withheld) and myself, have been through hell during the past four years, and though there are many more months and years ahead of us... To you, the individual reporters and photographers, we want you to know that we recognize and greatly appreciate how many of you have demonstrated respect, restraint, empathy, as you have sat, sat in the courtroom each day with us. We have felt your acknowledgment of our need to be able to try and control and preserve not only Leslie's dignity and rights, but ours as well.

Dan Mahaffy: We would be remiss if we did not thank you. Thank Heather and Steve for establishing an acceptable and bene-, beneficial arrangement to enable us to make the many long walks to and from the hotel to the courthouse each day without being molested by reporters and photographers. We would also like to take the opportunity to thank our many friends, acquaintances and strangers near and far across Canada who have sent their support to us. Each and every thought, wish and prayer for strength and recovery has surely made this horrendous nightmare of having Leslie stolen from us a little easier to bear. Thank you. I'm sure our paths will cross again, and [unclear: "in a more balanced and dialogue" (both sources; a word may be missing)] will ensue. Thank you.

Sue: That was Leslie Mahaffy's father, Dan, uh, speaking to the media on behalf of the families, um, after the verdict of Paul Bernardo, uh, being found guilty. Um, and beside him was, uh, (Leslie's brother, name withheld), Leslie's brother, who was nine at the time of her death, and Leslie spoke about him.

Sue: We hear her, uh, pleading to, uh, see them on video. And now here's Mr. French.

Doug French: A difficult and painful time. Finally, today, with the guilty verdict, especially the guilty verdict for first-degree murder of our daughter, there is some sort of closure. While it can't return our daughter to us, we have the satisfaction of seeing this perpetrator punished. One of the questions asked most often of Donna and I and the other members of our family over the past years, and especially the last four months, has been, "How can you deal with this?" Once of the major, one of the major reasons has been the incredible support we have received from all of you.

Doug French: We want to thank our families and friends, the task force, court officials, the Crown, our lawyer, the Colony Hotel, CAVEAT, and especially all the people throughout Canada and the U.S., like all of you people, who have prayed for us and supported us in so many ways. We would also like to thank the media for their consideration during this very stressful and hard time. Now, we would appreciate the opportunity to have some privacy for a period of time to come to terms with our feelings. After a time of reflection, we will be willing to speak to you all further. Finally, and as always, our final words for our daughter: with the trial over, Kristy, you can't be hurt anymore. We love you.

Speaker Uncertain: Now...

Sue: There's Darren French there, hugging his mother. That's Kristen's older brother. He's two years older than Kristen French. Uh, we've, so we've, now we've heard from, uh, Dan Mahaffy, and standing beside him was, uh, Leslie's little brother, (Leslie's brother, name withheld), and we've heard from Doug French, Kristen French's father. Uh, there's a quote from John Steinbeck that says, "There are those among us who live in rooms of experience you and I cannot enter." And that certainly applies to these people. I'm sure we will be hearing, uh, from the lawyers as well shortly: the Crown prosecutor, Ray Houlahan, and defense lawyer John Rosen. But now, let's go back to the studio.

Mike: Okay, thank you very much, Sue. The very emotional scene outside the courthouse in downtown Toronto. That was Sue [name as heard: "Kambatti"; not verified], of course, as she has throughout this trial, reporting live for Global News. [09:57 to 10:05: no speech.]

Mike: We are now going to return live to, uh, the scene outside the courthouse in downtown Toronto, where about 45 minutes ago the jury in the Paul Bernardo murder case rendered its verdict of guilty on all nine counts. Sue is standing by live there now. Sue, uh, we are still waiting word. We heard from the, uh, the families, the Mahaffy and French families. We're still, uh, awaiting word from, uh, two of the other principals in that case, uh, prosecutor Houlahan and defense attorney, uh, Rosen. Correct?

Sue: That's right. Uh, they have yet to come out to the [unclear: "Unimikes" / "Unimmitikes" (perhaps a brand of microphone stand)]. The families just spoke, uh, a few short minutes ago, and, uh, extremely emotional, uh, many reporters, uh, weeping as they heard, uh, the words from the people, uh, so directly, deeply affected by these crimes. Mike?

Mike: Let's backtrack again for just a few moments, if we can, Sue, and, and go inside, inside the courthouse at that moment when the jury foreman announced the decision, and, and what the atmosphere was like, the response, or the, at least the visible reaction by Bernardo. Can we, can we go back inside the courthouse?

Sue: Certainly. Uh, no visible reaction from Bernardo. Uh, he seemingly did not bat an eye when this verdict came down: guilty on all nine charges, including two of first-degree murder. The jury foreman spoke in a clear, very calm voice. Uh, the jury appeared to be satisfied with the verdict. No emotion from the jurors. They have, uh, managed to, uh, remain stoic throughout all the horrific evidence at this trial, and, uh, seemingly maintained a relatively good humor and a stiff upper lip. Um, the victims' families, uh, Mrs. French, Mrs. Mahaffy, uh, began to weep as the verdict was read out, as did the Homolka family. Karla Homolka's parents and sister Lori were here today. They just left the courthouse a few minutes ago. I don't believe that they spoke to the media. Mike?

Mike: This has been an incredibly emotional ordeal for everyone associated with the case, but, of course, for none more so than the families involved. And you mentioned earlier in a report, uh, Sue, that before this trial began, as I understand it, the Bernardo defense team was prepared to plead guilty to second-degree murder.

Sue: Yes, that's correct. Uh, Bernardo had, uh, made the offer through his lawyers, and I believe the thrust of it was to spare the victims' families the agony of having those videotapes played in court. And, of course, uh, that, uh, outraged the families. Uh, they viewed Bernardo as using his videos as a bargaining chip, uh, to, uh, get that sentence, uh, which is, uh, less than the first degree, which he was convicted [of] today.

Mike: Okay, Sue, thank you very much. We'll be rejoining you, uh, a little bit later on, as soon as, uh, Houlahan and Rosen, the two legal principals, come out to make statements regarding today's verdict. Loretta.

Loretta: Mike. Now we're going to go back live to Marlene [name as heard: "Troder" / "Trotter"; not verified], who is in St. Catharines, the scene of the murders of Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French, for some reaction. Marlene?

Marlene: Well, as you can imagine, Loretta, there's a tremendous sense of relief in this community. We had people coming up to us on the street. One lady said she had goosebumps when she heard that the verdict was first degree. And the people that we talked to feel this jury came back with the right verdict.

Resident Of St. Catharines: I'm glad. I hope they hang him.

Resident Of St. Catharines: Well, uh, there, he's a sick pig, and I don't think you can, uh, correct or rehabilitate somebody like that. I think, uh, the only way to get rid of him is to kill him, to deal with him, you know?

Resident Of St. Catharines: I think it's great, if there's such a word. I haven't been following the case that much, though, because it's kind of a sickening sort of a thing. So I try not to follow it, because it makes me sick, and I try not to think about it, actually.

Resident Of St. Catharines: I think that's wonderful. Very happy. Very happy indeed. He got what he deserved, as far as I'm concerned.

Resident Of St. Catharines: Well, I was glad to see him convicted. I think he did a lot of nasty things to those girls, and he really deserved what he got. He's a real rotten guy.

Marlene: As you can see, there's still a lot of anger in this community. People are wondering if they'll ever get over it, if they can ever forget it, but at least this final chapter is now over. Back to the studio. [14:25: clip ends.] ---