Bernie Herman, left, and Braden Herman, right, pose in a handout photo provided by Braden's family. Bernie Herman, a former Saskatchewan Mountie, is on trial for first-degree murder in the 2021 death of Braden Herman. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO, Brett Herman *MANDATORY CREDIT*
PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – A former Saskatchewan Mountie on trial for murder says he went to an isolated area to have sex with the man he’s accused of killing and doesn’t remember firing his gun.
Bernie Herman, 55, took the witness stand Thursday in his first-degree murder trial at Prince Albert Court of King’s Bench. He has pleaded not guilty in the 2021 shooting death of 26-year-old Braden Herman.
The two men are not related.
The trial has heard Braden Herman’s naked body was found in a park on the outskirts of Prince Albert, Sask. He had been shot in the chest.
Bernie Herman testified he picked up the younger man after finishing an all-terrain vehicle RCMP training course earlier in the day.
He said Braden Herman directed him to drive to an area near Little Red River Park.
Court heard the two men had been in a sexual relationship since 2018. Bernie Herman testified that when they went to isolated areas, it was most likely for sex.
Bernie Herman testified they got out of the vehicle and Braden Herman undressed, pushed the officer against a door and grabbing for the officer’s genitals.
Bernie Herman said the younger man also grabbed him by the face, breaking a tooth.
Braden Herman then backed off and said, “You better not be cheating on me,” Bernie Herman testified.
The former Mountie told court he was afraid and saw Braden Herman reach down for an object
“Boom!” Bernie Herman told court Thursday. “My gun went off.”
He said he has no memory of drawing or shooting his gun and that he panicked and drove to another area further away. There, he said, he sent a text message to his wife and called a colleague.
The trial has heard the two men met on Facebook, and Braden Herman moved into the veteran officer’s family home. The relationship was sexual, but Bernie Herman said it wasn’t always consensual.
“When (Braden Herman) wanted to have sex and I would say no, that would set him off,” the former Mountie told court.
Defence lawyer Darren Kraushaar focused his questions to Bernie Herman on allegations that Braden Herman was unpredictable and violent.
Kraushaar asked Bernie Herman if the younger man pushed and hit him. Court was shown a series of photos that Bernie Herman said depicted physical injuries and damage to the family home caused by Braden Herman.
Kraushaar asked if the officer was scared of Braden Herman.
“Very,” Bernie Herman responded.
Messages and images from cellphones entered into the trial show there were also feelings of love and affection between the two men. The messages also show the sexual relationship was putting a strain on the officer’s marriage.
Janice Herman told court she kicked the younger man out of the home in 2019. Text messages between her and her husband suggest she was frustrated that he continued the relationship with the younger man.
“I was alone for seven months while you were having the time of your life,” she texted her husband 20 days before the killing.
Janice Herman testified earlier in the week that Braden Herman was violent and unpredictable.
Bernie Herman told court Thursday that he tried to end things with Braden Herman, but the younger man was blackmailing him. The two had exchanged nude photos, Bernie Herman said, and Braden Herman threatened to send them to his wife.
Bernie Herman said he would also face violence if he ignored Braden Herman’s texts or calls.
However, both the officer and his wife continued to socialize with Braden Herman.
Janice Herman had drinks with Braden Herman the night before his death, court heard.
She also dropped off alcohol for him and a friend on May 11, 2021, the day he was killed.
In text messages to her husband that day, she criticized the Mountie’s relationship with Braden Herman.
“You telling (Braden Herman) you want him and not your wife, that, too, hurts,” she said in a text to her husband.
Bernie Herman told court he was upset by the text messages he received from his wife while he was in the training course.
He testified he left the RCMP station with his uniform, duty belt and weapon in order to clean the items. He said that at the time he had no intention of meeting up with Braden Herman.
Court heard the officer called Braden Herman at least 19 times that day, and most went unanswered. At some point, the men agreed to meet up. They went to get coffee from a Tim Hortons and performed a sex act in a Dairy Queen drive-thru while they waited for a burger.
Then, Bernie Herman testified, they drove to the park.
Court has heard how, not long after, Bernie Herman sent a text to his wife saying he’d had enough and shot Braden Herman.
The message said: “Just so you know your life has changed from here on. I just shot and killed him.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7, 2023.
