Defence lawyer questions moral compass of key witness in Karafa, Li trial

There was a heated back and forth in a Hamilton court on Monday as a defence lawyer asked the key witness and survivor of a Stoney Creek murder if her “moral compass is a little off-kilter.”

Lucy Li and Oliver Karafa are accused of killing 39-year-old Tyler Pratt, and shooting his girlfriend, Jordyn Romano.

Monday was Romano’s third day of testimony, with the defence beginning their cross-examination of her account of that night.

The crown asked its final questions to Romano, how does the night of Feb. 28, 2021 – the night she was shot – impact her now?

She told the court “I live every day with anxiety and PTSD.” She called her recovery “two months of excruciating pain” as she had to relearn how to stand and walk.

“I was so angry,” she told the court, “I think the worst part was mourning him.”

Romano is referring to her boyfriend, Pratt – who was shot six times and killed at an industrial lot in Stoney Creek the same night.

Li and Karafa are facing first-degree murder charges in Pratt’s death, and attempted murder in the shooting of Romano.

The four had gone into business together, and Pratt was expecting to be given some of the profits the following day.

In cross examination, the defence painted a picture of Romano and Pratt’s lifestyle of luxury, funded by money from dealing drugs.

Romano testified Pratt could make up to a million dollars a day selling cocaine.

The defence asked Romano several times if Pratt ever got angry, saying “do you think Tyler could scare other people when he got upset?” and suggesting he needed to be pretty tough in his line of work.

They suggested Pratt was intimidating the night he was killed.

Each time, Romano denied, saying she never feared for their safety.

Li’s defence lawyer – Liam O’Conner – didn’t dispute that Romano is a victim, telling her “you were shot in the most horrific of manners … nobody should suffer the loss of a loved one, should they?”

But O’Conner also asked if Romano would agree that her “moral compass is a little off-kilter,” saying she seemed to laugh off Pratt’s drug dealing.

The lawyer and witness went back and forth, with Romano finally saying “I think highly of myself, so I don’t want to say that my moral compass is off. But, yeah, I’ve done some shady things.”

O’Conner also tried to distance Li – his client – from Karafa and Pratt’s friendship, agreeing with Romano that she and Li had met fewer than ten times.

Romano has also filed a civil lawsuit against Karafa, Li and a third person involved in the case, trying to recoup some of the $470,000 that she and Pratt lost in their business dealings.

Romano’s cross-examination continues on Tuesday.