The sixth week of a Lethbridge manslaughter trial getting underway Monday morning (Oct. 7) with arguments from both sides about the admissibility of a video, in which one of the two men accused allegedly confesses to killing the victim.
Rylan Twigg, 25, and Simon Scout, 20, are charged in the death of Kenrick First Rider, 45, who was found dead at his north side home in Nov. 2017 after getting into a fight with two men. A medical examiner, who completed First Rider’s autopsy, previously testified that his death was cause by blunt force injuries.
Twigg is interviewed by LPS Cst. Anthony Tupper in the video statement and allegedly confesses to the violent assault.
The defence says Twigg’s video statement is involuntary, and, therefore, should not be allowed. Twigg’s lawyer notes that a cognitive disability made Twigg more susceptible to police interview techniques and inappropriate persuasion by Cst. Tupper, he was unable to fully understand the consequences of what he was saying and, additionally, that he was suffering from substance withdrawal.
Meanwhile, the Crown argues that it is a voluntary statement, pointing out that there is no such reliable evidence that Twigg suffers from a cognitive disability or that he was in withdrawal at the time of the interview, and that the officer’s conduct was appropriate.
The judge will decide later this week if the video will be allowed as evidence in the trial proper.
