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Accused inmate acquitted of assault charges after successfully claiming self-defense during a prison brawl.
The defendant, an inmate, was attacked by other inmates in a detention centre.
He defended himself using a makeshift weapon and was subsequently charged with assault and assault with a weapon.
The court examined the evidence, including security video, and the defendant's claim of self-defense under section 34 of the Criminal Code.
The court found that the defendant's use of force, including a weapon, was reasonable given the circumstances of a violent prison environment where official intervention was slow and inadequate.
The defendant was found not guilty of all charges.
Two accused were convicted of aggravated assault based on reliable eyewitness recognition evidence.
Five individuals were jointly charged with aggravated assault arising from an attack on the victim in an apartment building hallway.
The victim was struck with a beer bottle and stabbed multiple times.
The Crown's case depended entirely on eyewitness identification by the victim.
During trial, the Crown withdrew charges against one accused.
The court found that the victim credibly identified two of the remaining accused as the direct perpetrators of the assault.
However, the court found insufficient evidence to establish that the other two accused were parties to the assault, as the Crown's theory relied on speculation regarding their knowledge and intent.
The court also harboured reasonable doubt regarding one of the weapon possession charges.
