Court Briefs: Local man accused of kidnapping will proceed to trial in May as planned

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on November 11, 2023.

https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

A Medicine Hat man accused of kidnapping after a local woman said she was held in a vehicle before escaping will proceed to trial, Court of King’s Bench in Medicine heard Friday.

Lester Roland Landry, 66, was charged in January 2023 with the indictable offence that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail, and a trial date was set for next spring.

More recently Crown and defence attorneys have told court discussions toward a pre-trial resolution were underway and productive, but Landry’s lawyer Marc Crerar said discussions have been unsuccessful.

A four-day King’s Bench judge and jury trial has tentatively been scheduled for May 20-24. Those dates could be confirmed in early December, court heard.

Murder trail proceeds

A Brooks man arrested after a dead woman was found in his apartment has been found mentally fit to stand trial, the attorney for Mat Bangoang Choap informed court. That report from a psychiatrist was received Nov. 9, defence attorney Marc Crerar informed court, and a trial date of June 27 and 28, 2024, is now scheduled.

Brooks RCMP charged Choap with second-degree murder after they discovered the body of Tamara Debbie Soosay in an apartment complex in June 2022.

Teacher sentencing

A former area teacher who pleaded guilty to a sexual exploitation charge after initiating a relationship with a student will be sentenced in the new year, an agent for her attorney informed court.

Rebecca McCubbin, 29, entered the plea as her trial was set to begin last month, and the matter was adjourned until this week to arrange a date of sentencing.

That will occur Feb. 9 with a half day scheduled to hear the matter.

Charge stayed

One man arrested after police say they found a sawed-off, semi-automatic .22-gauge rifle in a car will go to trail while another saw his charges withdrawn Friday.

Tyler John Figley, 39, faces six firearms charges, including possessing a loaded prohibited firearm, and will see his matters move to case management for trial date selection.

Charges were stayed by the Crown on Friday against the other man, Ashley Glendon Gackle, 46, who faced similar charges. He was also arrested during the March 2022 traffic stop by Medicine Hat police which turned up the gun, hockey goalie mask and collapsible baton.

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