Man charged with murder set to resolve matter without trial

A Lethbridge man charged with murder is set to resolve his matter without a trial when he returns to court in several months.

Calgary lawyer Andrea Urquart appeared in Lethbridge court of justice Wednesday and said she and the Crown are prepared to recommend that Jade Levi Trotter’s charges of second-degree murder and break and enter be disposed of on Sept. 28 and the accused sentenced.

“I understand as part of the resolution, the Crown will be laying a replacement information that would allow us to deal with this matter in the Alberta Court of Justice,” Urquhart said.

Crown Prosecutor Michael Fox later confirmed the Crown will lay a new information charging Trotter with manslaughter.

Police responded to a call Feb. 8 of last year of someone screaming for help, and arrived at an apartment building in the 1200 block of 4 Avenue South to find the body of 65-year-old Glenn Lofthouse. Police arrested Trotter the following day at a residence in the 1100 block of 11 Street South.

Police said the suspect and victim knew each other, and the killing was over a property dispute. Police also recovered a weapon they believe was used to kill Lofthouse.

Trotter, who previously elected to be tried by a Court of King’s Bench judge and jury, was scheduled to have a two-day preliminary hearing last October, but it was cancelled after the court ordered a forensic assessment under Section 672 of the Criminal Code. The accused was assessed at the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatry Centre in Calgary to determine whether there are grounds to believe he was, at the time of the alleged offence, suffering from a mental disorder that would exempt him from criminal responsibility.

Trotter remains in remand custody at the Lethbridge Correctional Centre, but is expected to attend his sentencing in person.