Teen says six men took turns beating Douglas

A 19-year-old man told a Regina jury six males went into a bush outside Regina where Shawn Douglas was taken with his hands bound.

His testimony echoed that of another of the six, Aiden Anaquod, in alleging Johnathon Nelson Peepeetch uttered a prayer before swinging a sledgehammer at Douglas, 54. But while Anaquod said he remembered only Peepeetch, Dennis Calvin Thompson and Joshua Duane Wilson assaulting Douglas, the 19-year-old said all six took turns in the fatal beating.

Peepeetch, 26, Thompson, 35, and Wilson, 27, are standing trial at Regina Court of Queen’s Bench for first-degree murder in the Aug. 7, 2014, killing. The 19-year-old cannot be named under a courtimposed publication ban, as he was 16 at the time.

He said he was couch-surfing at a house on the 1600 block of Toronto Street when Wilson turned up one evening with two women and two men, including Douglas.

The 19-year-old — who had then been recently recruited to the Native Syndicate street gang by Wilson — said the mood at the party was initially relaxed. But eventually, the witness said he heard talk — as did Douglas — of robbing the older man.

The witness said after Douglas’ attempt to leave was foiled by a knifewielding Wilson, the man was taken to a bank to withdraw money. The situation only worsened once they arrived back when Peepeetch and three others “rushed the house,” Peepeetch kicking Douglas in the face, he said.

The 19-year-old said one of the partygoers fled and, when the thenyouth followed, he heard the man yelling and a woman saying she was calling police. The witness said several of them — including the three accused and Douglas — piled into two vehicles. In an event captured partially on video, the youth testified to a situation in which Douglas tried unsuccessfully to escape while an attempt was being made to put him in the trunk of a car.

He told the court the two vehicles headed out of town, the trip further strained by Peepeetch and Thompson scolding the others for having “f----d up,” and threatening them to keep the incident quiet.

The witness said they stopped near a treed area where Peepeetch removed Douglas and bound his hands, telling the others, “We’ll just tie him up, leave him out in the bush.” Meanwhile, the witness said Thompson was busy grabbing makeshift weapons.

The 19-year-old said it wasn’t until he heard Peepeetch praying and telling Douglas to “pray to whoever you pray to” that he realized what was about to happen. He said Peepeetch hit Douglas once in the face with the sledgehammer and that Wilson ran away after punching or stabbing the man. The witness said Thompson struck Douglas repeatedly, and that the other three — all younger males — were told they had to hit Douglas too.

“I didn’t want to,” the 19-yearold said, but admitted to taking the sledgehammer and hitting Douglas — lying on his belly and unresponsive following the first blow — once on the back of the head.

The witness said the younger males were initially ordered to cut up or burn Douglas to dispose of his body, but refused, so the group left.

Co-Crown prosecutor Derek Maher asked the teen to describe what was on his mind immediately prior to and during the fatal assault.

He finally summed it up with, “There’s not a word I can think of that helps me tell you how I felt.”

The witness returns to court Wednesday for cross-examination.