Another adjournment in Sackville manslaughter case
Tyler Murphy made a brief appearance in Moncton provincial court on Monday morning, and will be back in just under three weeks’ time.
22-year-old Murphy is charged with manslaughter in the death of Shawn Mitton on March 16, 2024. Mitton was found on the side of the road with stab wounds and later died in hospital. Murphy was arrested shortly thereafter.
Murphy’s defense lawyer Pierrette Allain told the judge she had received disclosure from the crown and now needed time to seek permission from Legal Aid to make an election, or choose the mode of trial for the manslaughter charge.
This was the third adjournment of the case since Murphy’s original charge of second degree murder was withdrawn and the charge of manslaughter was laid, on March 27, 2024.
Allain said she had met with Murphy Monday morning before court, to go over his options for a trial.
Family members of both Murphy and the victim Shawn Mitton were in the courtroom to witness the brief proceeding.
Murphy is now due back in court on July 26 at 9:30am, to choose the mode of trial and set a date for a preliminary hearing. He will remain in custody until then.… Continue
‘Coffee with a Cop’ comes to Sackville, local RCMP says crime not on the rise locally
Officers from the Southeast District RCMP hosted an open house event at the Tim Horton’s on Main Street in Sackville on Friday. About 30 people dropped in to meet with the officers during the two hour event Friday morning. Among them were Tantramar councillor Mike Tower, Mayor Andrew Black, Dorchester fire chief Greg Partridge, and Ambulance NB operations manager Mark Hicks.
Sergeant Martin Janson is a supervisor for the Southeast District, and organized the event as part of a series of ‘Coffee with a Cop’ events throughout the region, in turn part of a larger trend of similar events happening across North America.
Janson was joined by Sackville’s community police officer Melanie Belliveau, as well as Sackville detachment Sergeant Eric Hanson, who took a moment near the end of the session to speak with CHMA.
Hanson said the event was “a great opportunity for us to connect with members of the community in a friendly setting where people can ask us questions, interact with us.” Hanson said the officers heard questions about the job, and also heard concerns about “traffic and behaviour and things that are going on in their community.”
“One lady came up to report that she needed our help this afternoon,” said Hanson, “so we’re going to go help her out disposing of some ammunition at her house.”… Continue
Murder charges withdrawn, replaced with single manslaughter charge for Sackville man
Second degree murder charges against two Sackville men in the stabbing death of Shawn Mitton on March 16 have been withdrawn, and replaced with a single charge of manslaughter.
Tyler Murphy and Dylan Murphy appeared in Moncton provincial court on Wednesday morning with members of Shawn Mitton’s family present in court. Prosecutor Denis Sawyer withdrew the charge against 22-year-old Tyler Murphy, and replaced it with a charge of manslaughter. Murphy will remain in custody and return to court in six weeks time, on May 13, to allow time for the crown to release disclosure and for his lawyer to review it.
The charge against Dylan Murphy was withdrawn, and the 20-year-old was released.
Manslaughter is a homicide committed without intent to kill, through either unlawful act or criminal negligence. It carries no minimum sentence, unless committed with a firearm.
Shawn Mitton was found by police on March 16 shortly after 7:45pm, lying on the side of Lorne Street in Sackville suffering from apparent stab wounds. The 44-year-old father of four was transported to hospital where he died as a result of his injuries.
‘A family man’
According to his obituary, Mitton was “a family man who loved spending time with his sons. Whatever his sons were involved in, he was in 100%, announcing at their hockey games, outings in the woods, or enjoying an impromptu meal over a campfire.”
Mitton had recently moved his new upholstery business into a space on Main Street in Sackville, and was seeing considerable success and community support.… Continue
RCMP release more information about Pond Shore Road operation
The RCMP have yet to lay charges after a series of arrests stemming from a police operation at a home on Pond Shore Road on November 22nd.
The 6am police raid by the RCMP Emergency Response Team blew out the windows of the home at 106 Pond Shore Road, and resulted in seven arrests, according to a previous police statement.
In a news release Wednesday afternoon, about one week after the incident, the RCMP say they were executing a search warrant in connection with a drug trafficking investigation that began on November 15. The statement goes on:
“During the search, police seized, significant quantities of what is believed to be cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine pills, hydromorphone pills, and a large amount of money. Police also seized nine unsafely stored firearms including a prohibited rifle and a restricted handgun. Nearly 55,000 contraband cigarettes, and drug trafficking paraphernalia were also seized.”
Wednesday’s release says just three men were arrested at the scene on November 22. A 39-year-old Sackville man was remanded into custody on outstanding warrants, and is scheduled to appear in court on December 28. The other two men, a 37-year-old from Sackville and a 40-year-old from Nova Scotia, were later released from custody.
The investigation was led by the RCMP’s Provincial Crime Reduction Unit, which focusses on “disrupting and dismantling the trafficking of illegal drugs”.… Continue
Crossman found responsible for actions; seeks second opinion
A Sackville man accused of murdering and dismembering his spouse has been granted a six week adjournment in court proceedings so that he can get a second opinion on whether or not he can be held criminally responsible for his actions.
Roger Hilyard Crossman appeared by videoconference in Moncton Provincial Court on Thursday morning, in what was slated as a plea and election hearing for the two charges against the 62-year-old.
Crossman was represented by Saint Antoine lawyer Tim Dubé, who told the court that his client wanted a second opinion, in part based on a language barrier during his psychiatric assessment at the Restigouche Hospital Centre in Campbellton. Dubé asked for either a second assessment to be conducted at the Restigouche centre, or time to arrange for a private psychiatrist to evaluate Crossman.
Crown prosecutor Martine Cormier told Judge Ronald LeBlanc that the results of the original psychiatric assessment, which Leblanc had in sealed envelope, found that Crossman was responsible for his actions. The judge asked both Cormier and Dubé if the report contained any grounds to order a second assessment at the Restigouche centre. Neither could provide any.
Dubé asked the court for six weeks adjournment to allow time for a privately arranged psychiatric assessment, and also for the lawyer to receive and review disclosure from the prosecutor. Leblanc granted the adjournment and set a date for another hearing on January 8, 2024.
Leblanc suggested setting a preliminary hearing date in order to save time in the process, but both prosecution and defense lawyers suggested that wait until January 8.… Continue