'Canadian Psycho' trial opens

A former Canadian porn actor accused of murdering and dismembering a Chinese student and posting the act online went on trial Monday in Montreal. The trial is expected to be one of the most grisly and sensational in Canadian history, with jurors told to brace themselves for "shocking" evidence.

Luka Magnotta, 32, stands accused of stabbing to death 33-year-old computer science student Lin Jun in May, 2012 in Montreal. He then reportedly sexually abused and dismembered the corpse, posted the act online, and mailed the severed limbs to political parties and schools in Ottawa.

One of the packages with the limbs was addressed to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

An international manhunt was launched after the murder that resulted in Magnotta's arrest at a Berlin internet cafe in June 2012. He was extradited back to Canada to stand trial.

Magnotta, born Eric Clinton Newman, is charged with first degree murder among other charges which include committing indignities to a body and harassing Canada's prime minister. He faces life in prison if convicted and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The trial is expected to last between six and eight weeks.

Difficult jury selection

Finding a jury to try Magnotta proved challenging. Around 1,600 people received a jury summons with lawyers interviewing more than 100 men and women, asking them if they would be able to stomach graphic and disturbing evidence.

Magnotta's lawyer, Luc Leclair, said that his client was "a little shocked" by the number of potential jurors summoned, adding that it would be challenging to find adequate jurors due to the intense media scrutiny.

"I don't think it is going to be easy, but I think we ought to be able to find 14," Leclair said.

Eventually, lawyers culled the number down to 12 jurors and two alternates. All jurors were required to be bilingual, as evidence will be presented in English and French. About 60 witnesses are expected to testify.

Canadian 'Psycho'

Lin's family has called Magnotta "a devil," and media have dubbed him the "Canadian Psycho" after it was revealed that the music from the movie "American Psycho" was playing in the background of the murder video posted on the internet.

In personal writings, Magnotta reportedly describes being sexually abused and beaten while growing up. He later developed an online profile where he searched for sex partners and portrayed himself as a model.

He has been called a "manipulative, pathological liar" by a former lover.

Magnotta has reportedly been previously treated for paranoid schizophrenia, and can qualify his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity at any point during the trial. Prosecutors have urged the jury not to be swayed by an insanity plea.

bw/dr (AFP, Reuters)