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Witness says many took part in swarming death

EDMONTON — A young man who took part in a fatal swarming attack on a 20-year-old at a grad party says a former friend who is accused of first-degree murder definitely kicked the guy when he was down.

EDMONTON — A young man who took part in a fatal swarming attack on a 20-year-old at a grad party says a former friend who is accused of first-degree murder definitely kicked the guy when he was down.

But Cody Trautman, who has already received a conditional sentence for aggravated assault, says a lot of other people were also taking shots at Eric Olsen during the grad party in 2007.

The trial of Colin Bibaud has been told there was an ongoing feud between the pair, and the Crown contends Bibaud was looking for payback after being beaten the night before.

Trautman says Olsen was found hiding on the roof of a nearby house and initially defended himself with a golf club.

But Trautman says some of his friends overpowered Olsen by striking him six or seven times with two-by-fours or a police baton, knocking the young man unconscious.

Trautman says that’s when people on the ground started chanting:“Kick him off, kick him off.”

The trial has heard another male in the group pushed Olsen with his foot, sending him off the roof and onto the ground in front of the cheering crowd.

“It was like a herd of cattle,” recalled Trautman. “They just started kicking him.”

Trautman said it was at that point that he saw Bibaud kick Olsen.

Eight other people were charged in the beating. The man who pushed Olsen off the roof pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to five years.

One other individual is slated to plead guilty to manslaughter and the others pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.

Trautman’s conviction was for hitting Olsen with a large stick while they were on the roof.

Olsen died from his injuries four days after being taken to hospital.