Tearful hugs were exchanged in a Prince Albert courtroom on Friday when a young aboriginal man was acquitted of manslaughter.
The 18-year-old was a youth when he was arrested for the stabbing death of 36-year-old Johnathon Kasagan, and the teen’s name is protected by a publication ban.
On Jan. 30, 2015, Kasagan was in the Prince Albert home he had been living in with his fiancée when the youth stabbed him three times – once in the back and twice in the chest. There was no evidence that Kasagan and the youth knew each other before that night.
Justice Meschishnick ruled this action was taken in self defence against Kasagan, who was an experienced fighter, very strong, and known to be violent while drunk.
At trial, court heard the fatal fight between Kasagan and the youth happened after Kasagan had assaulted his fiancée while drunk.
The youth and several others went to visit Kasagan’s home that night and asked the woman about her swollen and bruised face, and Kasagan punched one of the visiting females. Kasagan broke one of her teeth, and she later required stitches for a split lip.
The youth intervened to prevent Kasagan from continuing the attack. Witnesses say Kasagan pulled the youth into the kitchen and at different times each of them were seen holding a knife.
Kasagan was still standing and looking for the youth after he was stabbed, which Meschishnick took into account.
No one witnessed the stabbing, which Crown prosecutor Catherine Gagnon said was her biggest challenge in court.
The case had been set for a much longer trial, but instead ended after three days with the ruling coming on Friday at Prince Albert Court of Queen’s Bench.
The youth’s lawyer, Peter Abrametz Jr., said the acquittal was relief.
“I really thought that it was a 16-year-old boy put into a terrible situation and it’s very tragic, the terms of the death that occurred, but at the end of the day it was certainly the appropriate result today in court,” he said.
Gagnon said if they had more information from the youth at the time, they would have dropped the manslaughter charge.
At trial, she argued that pictures of the youth after the stabbing showed he had no proof of injury to himself.
Gagnon adds that the Crown cannot appeal this decision.
Kasagan was originally from Black Lake and the teen has ties to Turnor Lake.