(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Sheldon Spackman

case dates back to 2017

Stay of proceedings in Red Deer homicide case

Oct 14, 2020 | 4:51 PM

A stay of proceedings has taken place in the case of a Red Deer man charged in relation to a death that occurred in the city three years ago.

Gabriel Agotic, 37, was charged with manslaughter in the March 2017 death of 26-year-old Mathiang Chol of Red Deer. Agotic appeared in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench on Wednesday via CCTV from the Red Deer Remand Centre.

The stay of proceedings was directed by Chief Crown Prosecutor Dominique Mathurin on Wednesday. This after Justice Glen H. Poelman ruled that Agotic’s statement to police following his arrest was not made voluntarily.

“I have a doubt that Mr. Agotic gave his full statements as an exercise of his own freedom to choose. His killing of Mr. Chol was not a planned act,” said Poelman.

It was shortly after 6:00 am on Mar. 29, 2017 when Red Deer Mounties were dispatched to a local apartment where a male was found suffering from severe injuries.

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The victim was taken to local hospital, then flown to hospital in Calgary where he was placed on life support. He died of his injuries the next day on Mar. 30, 2017.

Agotic was arrested by RCMP in Calgary on July 16, 2018.

The stay of proceedings comes just one month before Agotic was to face a jury trial in Red Deer.

The Crown has one year to revisit the charges if they so choose.