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Crown awaiting autopsy report

A detailed autopsy report will determine how the Crown proceeds with a criminal charge laid after a Saskatchewan man died from wounds he is alleged to have suffered during a street fight in Red Deer.

A detailed autopsy report will determine how the Crown proceeds with a criminal charge laid after a Saskatchewan man died from wounds he is alleged to have suffered during a street fight in Red Deer.

William Johnstone-Vince, 22, was charged with aggravated assault after police were called for a second time to break up a fight between two groups of people outside of the Sheraton Hotel between 3 and 4 a.m. on June 17.

A Red Deer City RCMP news release issued afterward states that members were originally called to break up a fight at about 3:15. a.m.

Cpl. Kathe DeHeer, a media liaison officer for the RCMP, says in her release that the two groups engaged in the fight were dispersed, but the battle erupted again a few minutes later.

One man was severely injured during the second fight and was flown to the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton for treatment, says her release.

Family members later said that Jake Thue, 27, remained unconscious until his death, six days later.

Thue was a building contractor based in Lumsden, Sask.

He had come to Red Deer to work on a local project.

In Red Deer provincial court on Tuesday, Crown prosecutor Jason Snider said Johnstone-Vince — represented by Red Deer lawyer Kevin Sproule — may have a reasonable case for self defence.

Snider reported to Judge Jim Hunter that he wants to see the detailed report from the Medical Examiner’s office before making any decisions on how to proceed with the charge.

A copy of the Medical Examiner’s report has not yet been provided to the Crown prosecutors’ office, Snider told the court.

“The Medical Examiner’s office takes an exorbitant amount of time to produce these documents,” he said.

Johnstone-Vince remains free on strict conditions pending his next court appearance, set for Red Deer provincial court on Dec. 18.

bkossowan@www.reddeeradvocate.com