Reginald Berard, charged with second-degree murder, brought an application to adduce evidence at trial regarding three alternate suspects: Ronald Couillard, Philippe Charbonneau, and Stanley Beaudry.
The court reviewed the principles for admitting alternate suspect evidence, emphasizing the need for relevance, sufficient probative value, and a concrete connection between the third party and the crime, beyond mere conjecture.
The application was dismissed for Stanley Beaudry and Ronald Couillard due to insufficient connection and/or the prejudicial effect of the evidence substantially outweighing its probative value.
However, the application was allowed for Philippe Charbonneau, as his unexplained knowledge of the stabbing death and conflicting statements provided a sufficient connection to warrant exploration at trial.
