Manslaughter charge in suspected drug death

For the first time, Brantford police have charged an alleged drug dealer with manslaughter in a suspected overdose death.

Brantford police said it’s the first time they’ve had enough evidence to lay this kind of charge. A manslaughter charge alleges the accused did not intend to kill the victim.

“We have charged numerous persons in the past and including this year for trafficking drugs, but this is the first case where the evidence led us to enough … to actually charge somebody with (manslaughter),” Const. Natalie Laing said Wednesday. The charge stems from an apparent overdose last Friday night that sent a 46-year-old Brantford man to hospital. Police responded to the call at a Nelson Street home around 8 p.m.

The man died in hospital on Monday. Later that day, police charged 34-year-old Andrew Earl Allison, who is also from Brantford, with manslaughter and several drug trafficking charges.

Police say Allison sold fentanyl and cocaine to the victim. They came to that conclusion through evidence collected in their investigation, Laing said.

Hamilton police have never charged a drug dealer with manslaughter in connection with an overdose, said spokesperson Const. Lorraine Edwards.

“It’s definitely going to open up the eyes of many of these investigators to think, ‘Hey this is another option that we have,’” Edwards said.

Last week, South Simcoe Police charged two Innisfil men with manslaughter in an overdose death from earlier in the year.

Police charged the men — who allegedly supplied the drugs — with trafficking in fentanyl and heroin shortly after the victim died in April. The manslaughter charge came after further investigation and consultation with prosecutors.

In Edmonton, police charged a man in connection with a fatal fentanyl overdose last fall.

A charge of this severity could send a message to drug dealers and others about the impact of fentanyl, which can be hidden in other street drugs, Laing said.

“If you’re giving or selling somebody a lethal substance and they die as a result of that, then you can be held responsible or accountable,” she said.

Laing confirmed a public safety announcement police made Saturday referencing an apparent opioid overdose in which fentanyl was sold as cocaine was tied to this case, but she would not provide more details.

So far this year, Laing said, Brantford police have responded to 11 opioid overdoses that resulted in death, plus 90 other suspected overdoses.

All Brantford police officers have been trained to use the opioid antidote naloxone, and a “couple” of officers have administered it, Laing said. “Even if we can save one person, that’s important.”

Police are still investigating the Allison case.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Sgt. Gary Swift of the major crime unit at 519-756-0113 ext. 2274 or gswift@police.brantford.on.ca.