Murder accused will have preliminary hearing set on May 11
One of two men facing second-degree murder charges over a New Year’s Eve homicide will be heading to a preliminary hearing.
Defence counsel for Luke Boxell appeared in Medicine Hat Court Thursday to request an adjournment to May 11, at which point a date for the preliminary hearing will be set.
Boxell, alongside co-accused Leonard Robert Terence Beaulieu, was charged following the death of Jordan Pede. Pede was found injured at Strathcona Park on New Year’s Eve, transported to hospital and later died.
Boxell was granted bail on strict release conditions and remains with family in Manitoba. Beaulieu remains in custody, with his next court appearance set for May 9.
Fraud plea
A woman serving a 15-month sentence for stealing $22,500 from the Economic Development Alliance of Southeast Alberta entered a guilty plea Thursday to another charge of theft over $5,000.
Mary Ann Smith appeared by CCTV from the Lethbridge Remand Centre to enter the plea, with sentencing adjourned to July 4. At that time, facts for the charge will be read into the record.
Break and enter
A 120-day sentence was handed down Thursday to a 19-year-old who entered guilty pleas to break and enter, possessing meth and breaching a recognizance by having a weapon.
Arlen Mason was arrested alongside another man on Dec. 22, when early in the morning police received a report of a landlord foiling an attempted break and enter into a garage. It was reported that Mason had a stick or pipe that was two or three feet in length. Mason’s co-accused was held by the landlord, while Mason fled the scene and was tracked and arrested by the police canine unit.
Mason has been in custody since the incident, so his sentence is considered served.
Police obstruction
A man who pled guilty to obstructing police, breaches, failing to appear in court and being unlawfully at large was given a 195-day jail sentence.
Jamie Lee, 28, was charged June 12, 2016 when police were called to the Medicine Hat Mall over a man on the roof.
Police arrived at the scene, and Lee wouldn’t provide police a name, then gave them a fake name, and refused to cooperate. He was again charged in November after failing to show up to serve a weekend sentence. Due to pretrial custody, Lee has 52 days left to serve for these charges — which will be served after he completes the previous sentence.