N.S. trial set to begin for six of 15 charged in vicious assault of Halifax inmate
A trial is scheduled to begin Wednesday at a Halifax convention centre for six of the 15 inmates accused of participating in a vicious assault of another prisoner at a Nova Scotia jail.
The victim sustained life-threatening injuries in the Dec. 2, 2019 attack at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth.
The union that represents correctional officers at the jail has alleged a large group of inmates formed a wall to block guards from reaching the victim.
Jason MacLean, president of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, said in an interview Tuesday the alleged assault in the jail known as Burnside left corrections officers shaken and fearing for their safety.
"It's an important trial because, historically, if there was any effort of inmates to act out, people got very little in the way of a penalty," MacLean said.
"It appears this time, it's taken very, very seriously ....There's quite a few people testifying, and it's important to the morale of the facility."
MacLean, who worked in corrections for about 20 years, said the union is eager for all the facts to emerge. "If there would be a time to pay attention to what happens in our facility, people should pay attention to this trial and the story of what happened that day," he said.
The first defendants facing trial are Colin Ladelpha, Kirk Carridice, Jacob Lilly, Wesley Hardiman, Omar McIntosh and Matthew Lambert.
They are facing charges of conspiring to commit murder, attempted murder, unlawful confinement, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and obstructing a peace officer.
Lilly also faces a charge of assaulting a guard in the trial before Justice Jamie Campbell of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court.
Court documents say the victim in the case was another inmate, Stephen Francis Anderson, who the corrections service indicated recovered from his injuries.
Rick Woodburn, one of the two prosecutors for the trial, said in a telephone interview on Tuesday the trials have been broken into separate hearings to reduce the number of people in the room and reduce risks of COVID-19 exposure.
He said the courtroom at the Nova Centre in downtown Halifax has been purpose-built for the process, as the accused each have their own lawyer and there is also space created for the public to observe with social distancing between seating.
He said the trial before a judge alone will begin Wednesday with the prosecution calling witnesses.
Eight other inmates are facing the same charges in a trial set for later this fall.
Woodburn said a 15th inmate, Sophon Sek, is facing the same charges but will have a separate trial.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.