Fate of three men accused in beating death in hands of jury

A Regina jury is in the process of determining what, if any, role three men played in the beating death three years ago of Shawn Roderick Douglas. Johnathon Nelson Peepeetch, 26, Dennis Calvin Thompson, 35, and Joshua Duane Wilson, 27, are standing trial at Regina Court of Queen’s Bench on charges of first-degree murder.

The jury began deliberating shortly after 2:40 p.m. on Tuesday, having spent the morning and early afternoon receiving instructions from Justice Janet McMurtry, who outlined the law and details of evidence heard in the six-week case.

Beginning with a meeting of Douglas and others at the Triple 8 Pizza on Victoria Avenue, the judge took the jury through a timeline as provided by numerous witnesses, leading to Douglas’ beating death in a bush just east of Zehner on the early morning of Aug. 7, 2014.

During the trial, court heard Douglas was among a group of people invited to a house party on the 1600 block of Toronto Street. While witnesses said the party started out as a good time, some said it went sideways when Douglas became a target for robbery.

Some testimony suggested Douglas became aware of the plan and tried to leave, but was brought back at knifepoint by Wilson. Surveillance video from a local bank showed two people — one of whom was identified by several witnesses as a partially masked Wilson — using Douglas’ card and PIN to withdraw cash.

Several witnesses reported seeing Douglas, back at the house, kicked in the face by Peepeetch, said to have arrived later in the night.

According to testimony, Douglas was taken in the early morning to a car (his SUV was also taken along, court heard) and was later forced into the trunk — an event caught partially on a cellphone video.

It’s alleged several people, including the three accused, then drove to a rural location where Douglas was removed from the trunk.

Witnesses alleged Peepeetch bound Douglas with zip ties and told others they were going to take him down to a bush to release him. But, according to two males who reported having gone down to the bush, Peepeetch instead said a prayer and told Douglas to pray. They said Peepeetch then swung a sledgehammer — one of several tools reportedly taken from Douglas’ vehicle — following which others took turns hitting the fallen man.

A forensic pathologist said Douglas died from blunt-force trauma to the head, identifying one of several holes in his skull as likely having been made with a sledgehammer.

During closing arguments Monday, the Crown suggested the jury should find the men guilty, either as main players in the confinement and fatal beating, or as parties to it. Meanwhile, defence counsel — who did not call evidence at trial on behalf of the accused — urged jurors to acquit, pointing fingers at others, including the other accused.

McMurtry instructed the jury on factors like intent and motive, weighing the reliability and credibility of witnesses and “unsavoury” witnesses, and what to do with discrepancies between witness testimony and previously provided statements.

The judge said the jury had options of finding each of the accused guilty of first- or seconddegree murder or manslaughter, or finding them not guilty of any offence.

In order to find them guilty of first-degree murder, McMurtry said the jury needs to determine a number of elements, including whether they had the intent to kill Douglas or cause bodily harm they knew was likely to cause death and were reckless as to whether death resulted; and whether they actively participated in the confinement and resulting death of Douglas or willingly aided others in committing the offence; among other factors.

There was no verdict reached as of press time, shortly after 6:30 p.m.