Assault charges were dropped against William Johnstone-Vince, after the Crown determined the 22-year-old had only been defending himself in a fight that led to the death of a Saskatchewan man.
Crown prosecutor Jason Snider came to this conclusion after reviewing the results of an autopsy done on Jake Thue.
Thue, 27, was rushed to hospital in Edmonton with serious head injuries after a June 17 fight broke out between two groups of people outside a Red Deer hotel.
Thue never regained consciousness before dying in hospital on June 23.
Snider said the autopsy showed Thue’s critical injuries resulted from when his head hit the curb as he fell.
There is no evidence that Johnstone-Vince intended to kill him, Snider added. In fact, the Crown prosecutor saw evidence that Johnstone-Vince was acting in self-defence during the fight.
He was attacked and “responded in force,” said Snider.
Johnstone-Vince had been charged with aggravated assault, but those charges were dropped on Tuesday by Snider.
The former accused did not appear in court.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com