Man throws punch at sheriff moments after bring convicted of manslaughter
Sheriffs wrestled a man to the floor of an Edmonton courtroom after he tore off his shirt and threw a punch following his conviction for killing a man in a local homeless shelter.
Stanley Jago repeatedly interrupted the decision in his manslaughter trial Tuesday, swearing at Court of King's Bench Justice Anna Loparco and claiming without evidence someone else was responsible for killing Thomas Gignac in the Herb Jamieson men's shelter.
As Loparco elaborated on the evidence establishing Jago's guilt, Jago asked “did you just find me guilty, ma'am?”
When Loparco replied she had, Jago stood in the prisoner's box, took off the top of his orange remand centre coveralls, tore off his T-shirt and began shouting.
The two sheriffs in the courtroom immediately stood and told Jago to control himself. When they moved closer to take him back into the prisoner's cells, Jago appeared to strike out. The officers grabbed him, took him to the floor and handcuffed him.
As Jago was led from the room, he screamed, “I'm gonna have your f--king job.”
The incident was a dramatic end to a month-long trial that peeled back the curtain on violence in Edmonton homeless shelters.
Jago testified he punched and kicked Gignac after the 54-yearold stumbled partially clothed near his sleeping mat.
The defence argued Jago's attack was not the main cause of Gignac's death and that he may have been having a seizure when he fell.
Loparco acknowledged Gignac was “medically fragile” but ultimately rejected the defence.
“But for the accused's assault on the deceased, the deceased would not have died at that time,” she said.
Jago and Gignac were staying at the Herb Jamieson on Jan. 3, 2022, around six months after the new Hope Mission facility opened at 10014 105A Ave.
The two were admitted to the “sobering” room, a hall for people who have been using alcohol or drugs. Court heard shelter patrons are patted down for drugs and weapons and assessed by a nurse before being admitted to the 3,200-square-foot hall, which can sleep around 150 people a night on mats. Around 50 people were sleeping in the room the night of Gignac's killing, monitored by security cameras.
At around 1 a.m., Gignac got up to use the washroom. As he returned to his sleeping mat, his pants fell around his ankles. Jago claims he awoke when he felt a drop of saliva and saw Gignac trying to fix his pants.
Jago testified he had been the victim of violence at other shelters and believed he was going to be sexually assaulted. He punched Gignac in the head, then delivered a flurry of random blows.
Shelter staff were eventually alerted and found Gignac face down on the floor. Loparco concluded 10 minutes passed between the assault and a shelter worker coming to check on Gignac, and 15 minutes passed before CPR commenced.
VIOLENCE AT SHELTER ` COMMON,' COURT HEARS
Crown prosecutor Aisling Ryan called three doctors to analyze the cause of Gignac's death.
Alberta assistant chief medical examiner Dr. Cecilia Wu said Gignac likely suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of blunt force from Gignac's blows, then suffered a seizure and died.
She said that while Gignac was in poor health and had small amounts of methamphetamine and alcohol in his system, there was no evidence he suffered a seizure prior to Jago's attack.
While Loparco outlined that evidence, Jago began to talk to himself before addressing Gignac's sister, who sat in the body of the courtroom.
He claimed — despite medical evidence to the contrary — that police had killed Gignac by breaking his neck during first aid.
Gignac's sister, taken aback, replied her brother was a good man, to which Jago agreed. Sheriffs then escorted him from the courtroom. He spent around 15 minutes shouting alone in cells before being admitted to the courtroom a second time.
Loparco continued her decision until Jago's more violent outburst. She noted “multiple witnesses” told her “violent acts were common at the shelter.”
While she did not elaborate, Loparco noted a shelter patron who witnessed the attack on Gignac died between the preliminary inquiry and the trial.
Loparco said that while first aid might have been delayed, all medical interventions were “conducted in good faith” and there was no evidence anyone besides Jago harmed Gignac — much less injured his neck.
Jago's case is next in court May 17 to set a date for sentencing. It was not immediately clear whether he will face charges for his courtroom outburst.
Postmedia reached out to the provincial government for information on the sheriff's status but did not hear back.
Jago's trial took place at a time of increased debate over the safety of Edmonton homeless shelters, which some avoid in favour of encampments.
Two other homicides occurred near the Herb Jamieson last year.