Manslaughter charge against Halifax teen adjourned while lawyer awaits evidence
HALIFAX, N.S. — A manslaughter charge against a Halifax teen has been adjourned for four weeks so his lawyer can obtain and review the evidence from the Crown.
The 17-year-old boy is charged in the death of Davelle Rodney Vance Desmond, 26, of Dartmouth following an Aug. 6 assault on the Halifax waterfront.
The teen, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was arrested Aug. 30 after he turned himself in at police headquarters.
He was granted bail in Halifax youth court with the Crown’s consent Sept. 1 and released into the supervision of a responsible person, his father.
Lawyer Stan McDonald appeared in youth court Thursday on behalf of the boy, who was not present.
MacDonald told Judge Barbara Beach a “significant amount” of evidence has yet to be disclosed by the Crown.
The case will return to court Oct. 12.
Halifax Regional Police responded to a disturbance on the waterfront in the 1500 block of Lower Water Street on Aug. 6 at about 9:40 p.m.
Officers located an unresponsive Desmond on the boardwalk. He was transported to hospital, where he died.
A medical examiner conducted an autopsy and ruled the death to be a homicide.
Desmond and his girlfriend were expecting a child in November. A relative started a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral costs and for after the baby is born.
The Crown gave notice during the boy’s first court appearance Aug. 31 that if he is convicted, it could apply to have him sentenced as an adult.
Earlier this week, the teen was sentenced on a charge of assault causing bodily harm, from a September 2021 incident that left an elderly man with a broken shoulder and a broken arm.
The youth received a three-month deferred custody supervision order, which is like house arrest, to be followed by 15 months of probation. He was also prohibited from having firearms for two years and had to provide a DNA sample for a national databank.
