Barry Pruden was 47 at the time of his death last year. (Facebook)

By Nigel Maxwell

Waiting for a decision

Verdict reserved for youth charged with murdering Barry Pruden

Apr 14, 2023 | 5:00 PM

Arlene Simoneau said she never thought anything like this would happen to her son.

An elderly woman, who relies on a walker to get around, sat in court this week for four days and listened intently during the trial to all the circumstances that led to Barry Pruden’s death in May 2022. Outside Prince Albert Provincial Court on Friday, Simoneau explained she cannot understand why anyone would want to harm him.

“He would help anyone out. He would never, never hurt anyone,” she said.

In the late evening hours, Barry Pruden was attacked along the city’s riverbank area, just north of the provincial courthouse. According to evidence heard during the trial, he was stabbed multiple times to the head, neck and chest areas and was further beaten by multiple people when he dropped to the ground.

The group responsible, all alleged to be in their teens, then scattered before police arrived. The youth on trial this week was only 15 at the time, and alleged to be heavily intoxicated and very aggressive. Witnesses have testified he later admitted to his crime and even made a post to social media.

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“I hope he goes to jail for good. He deserves it,” Simoneau said.

A picture taken hours after the assault. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

With respect to motive, the court heard Pruden and his daughter had been out riding their bikes and were confronted by the group of youths. While Pruden attempted to defend himself with a gardening tool, his daughter was able to escape and ran off to get help.

A person driving by also called police.

Pruden’s Aunt Bonnie Lussier has also been sitting in court and is hoping for justice.

“If they are young offenders and they do a crime like that, I think they should be charged as an adult, not as a youth, because they took somebody’s life,” she said.

The video recordings played for the court were taken from the security cameras at both Georgie’s Cold Beer and Wine Store, as well as the provincial courthouse. While it was dark at the time of the incident, and recorded from far away, Pruden, who was wearing a large backpack, can still be seen being confronted and collapsing to the ground.

“It was very hard to see my nephew alive, now he’s gone because of those kids. It’s very hard,” Lussier said, adding her nephew was the type of person who would give someone the shirt off his back, if they needed help.

“It’s sad, it really is,” she said.

The youth’s trial wrapped up Friday afternoon with closing arguments. Citing DNA evidence that can place the youth at the scene, as well as witness testimony, Crown Prosecutor Cam Scott argued he met the threshold to convict the youth of second degree murder.

Scott also described the incident as an act of gratuitous violence, by a pack of people.

Defence lawyer Michelle Caron in turn argued the Crown had not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, and cited inconsistencies with witness testimony, as well as the poor quality of the video recordings.

“Probably or likely guilty is not sufficient,” she said.

Caron also argued that at least one of the young’s witnesses may have been more directly involved and had a motive to lie.

Judge Daunt has reserved her decision to May 3.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell