Accused in chef’s death asked police how long before he would be found not guilty

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The Crown began attacking Tuesday the testimony of one of two men accused in the killing of a popular Calgary chef two years ago.

Anthony Dodgson and Tommie Holloway have pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Christophe Herblin on March 14, 2020.

Mr. Herblin was a long-time executive sous chef at the Glencoe Golf and Country Club and his new restaurant was weeks away from opening.

Under cross-examination, Mr. Dodgson, who is accused of stabbing Mr. Herblin nine times, continued to deny any memory of the attack but did admit that he often carried a knife when he went out by himself.

He testified Monday that he remembered being in a scuffle but had gaps in his memory because of heavy drug and alcohol use.

On Tuesday, Crown prosecutor Carla MacPhail pointed out discrepancies in what Mr. Dodgson has told the trial and what he told a Calgary homicide detective in 2020.

“You didn’t tell Det. Cole you didn’t remember. You didn’t tell Det. Cole you were too drunk and high and you didn’t remember large portions of this night,” Ms. MacPhail asked.

“No,” replied Mr. Dodgson.

“You didn’t tell him you didn’t remember whether or not you inflicted Mr. Herblin’s injuries?”

“No.”

“You told him that you did it?” Ms. MacPhail asked.

“Yeah.”

“Saying you don’t recall is very different than saying you didn’t do it,” Ms. MacPhail said.

Mr. Dodgson testified the person who smashed the window of Mr. Herblin’s car in order to lure the chef into the parking lot was “Tommie,” but refused to say a last name.

“No, I won’t say his last name so you guys can put me on the news like that,” he told the court.

Mr. Dodgson also testified that he had asked two different officers when he would be found not guilty and that he initially claimed he had been out of town at the time of the attack.

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