Emrah Bulatci, centre, is escorted into the Yellowknife courthouse on Wednesday. (CBC)A jury in Yellowknife was sequestered for the night Wednesday after their deliberations failed to reach a verdict in the trial of an Alberta man accused of killing an RCMP officer in Hay River, N.W.T.

Emrah Bulatci, 25, is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Const. Christopher Worden in Hay River on Oct. 6, 2007.

Worden, 30, originally from Ottawa, joined the RCMP in 2002 and spent most of his career in the Northwest Territories. He had been stationed since 2005 in Hay River, located 400 kilometres south of the N.W.T. capital near the Alberta border.

At the time of his death, Worden was responding alone to a call for assistance in the community of about 3,650.

The jury was to resume deliberations at 9 a.m. MT (11 a.m. ET) Thursday.

Earlier Wednesday, the jury came back to ask N.W.T. Supreme Court Justice John Vertes for a written legal definition of first-degree murder and manslaughter, with an emphasis on intent.

Defence seeks manslaughter conviction

Bulatci's lawyers are asking the jury to convict him on the lesser charge of manslaughter, to which Bulatci tried to plead guilty at the start of the trial.

In his final instructions to the jury on Wednesday morning, Vertes said the verdict hinges on what Bulatci intended to do when he shot Worden four times.

If Bulatci deliberately fired the final two shots that ultimately killed Worden, the jury must find him guilty of first-degree murder, Vertes said.

But if the jury decides that the last two shots were fired accidentally or unintentionally, then Vertes said Bulatci would be guilty of manslaughter.

Both charges carry a punishment of life in prison. Those convicted of manslaughter can be eligible for parole in four years, while first-degree murder carries a mandatory 25 years before parole eligibility.

Shots intended to slow down officer

Originally from Ottawa, Const. Christopher Worden, 30, was based in Hay River, N.W.T., for two years prior to his death on Oct. 6, 2007. (RCMP)Court has heard that Bulatci was in Hay River to sell cocaine when Worden stopped him outside a house early in the morning of Oct. 6 and tried to arrest him.

Fearing that Worden would find his illegally obtained handgun, Bulatci fled on foot, and Worden chased him to an area behind a local apartment building.

Bulatci has testified that he shot at Worden's lower body twice, in an unsuccessful attempt to slow down the officer.

But Bulatci said the final shots, which ultimately killed the officer, were fired by accident during a struggle with Worden.

The Crown has claimed that Bulatci's version of events — that his handgun had fired accidentally twice, while it was pointed at Worden — sounded implausible.

Trial of public interest

The trial, considered to be the largest in N.W.T. history, has been attended not only by family and friends of Worden and Bulatci, but also by many members of the public who have been following the case.

"To me, a person's doing their job. RCMP officer or security, you're doing it for the safety of everybody," said Brian Hall, a former security officer.

"That includes my safety also."

Worden's parents, brothers and sister have sat through much of the trial, which began Oct. 21. His widow, Jodie Worden, and her family have also been present.

Some of Bulatci's family, including his parents, have been seen as well.

The court heard from a total 53 witnesses over a three-week period, including testimony from Bulatci himself last Thursday.