Alex Whitehead died in 2022 following an incident at a social gathering in Prince Albert. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Closure

Whitehead manslaughter case faces further delays

Feb 11, 2025 | 4:00 PM

For the third time since being arrested, a man accused of killing a Prince Albert man, may hire a new lawyer.

Richard Budd appeared by video from the Prince Albert Correctional Centre, when the case was discussed Tuesday morning at provincial court.

On New Year’s Day, 2022, 20-year-old Alex Whitehead was found at a house in the city’s midtown area, suffering from life-threatening injuries. According to a statement at the time from police, officers responded to a complaint of a weapons discharge.

The incident occurred during a house party and there many young adults and teenagers present. People who were at the party told paNOW Budd was among a number of people asked to leave due to their gang affiliations.

While a charge of second degree murder was initially laid, a preliminary inquiry hearing held in January, 2023, determined manslaughter was a better charge for trial.

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However due to issues with finding witnesses able to identify Budd, that charge was stayed by the Crown the following March. It was then brought back in February of last year when investigators uncovered new evidence.

A thick line of yellow police tape was placed around the property on 13th St. E. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

For the past few adjournments there has been some suggestion of resolution discussions, and that was confirmed on Tuesday by Budd’s lawyer Garth Bendig.

“It’s not acceptable to him,” Bendig said.

Bendig, while noting Budd’s insistence on proceeding to another preliminary inquiry hearing, informed Judge Thomas Healey of his plans to withdraw from the case.

“He doesn’t have the ability to retain me for that purpose,” he said.

Budd was then encouraged by the judge to contact legal aid.

While accepting Bendig’s wishes to withdraw as a private lawyer, Healey then proceeded to ask Bendig if he would consider a referral from legal aid mainly due to his knowledge of the file.

“It would be the most efficient,” Bendig agreed and said he would consider it.

The case was adjourned to Wednesday, at which time Budd will be represented by legal aid.

Sitting in the gallery was Alex Whitehead’s mother Maria, who acknowledged after this amount of time she was expected the case to be further along or even finished. She also acknowledged for paNOW her own need for closure.

“I’m not sleeping, my girls aren’t sleeping and I’m on antidepressants. I’m just trying to push through every day right now,” she said.

Maria attended Budd’s first preliminary inquiry hearing and acknowledged on Monday, many of those painful memories came flooding back when she saw Budd on the screen.

“Even at the preliminary when his parents were there and he was smiling at them and waving at them and I can’t do that with my son anymore. My son’s gone,” she said.

While noting her own personal excitement about another grandchild, Maria said she still thinks often of her son’s friends and wonders how they are all doing.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell