Menard pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2010 shooting of his father
Alphonse Brendon Menard pleaded guilty today in Duncan's courthouse to manslaughter in the shooting death of his father.
With his lawyer Bert King at his side, a blue-suited, clean-shaven Menard agreed to the lesser charge, avoiding a scheduled trial for second-degree murder before Judge Nathan Smith.
The case was adjourned until Sept. 21 for sentencing proceedings in Duncan's B.C. Supreme Court.
Menard is not in custody.
The soft-spoken suspect appeared briefly in court with some others, believed to be family and friends.
Judge Smith explained to Menard the consequences of his guilty plea, including that it was made without pressure or coercion.
The Nanaimo man was 22 when charged with second-degree murder following the July 4, 2010 shooting death of his father, Tony, 52, during a camping trip west of Nitinat Lake.
Menard's father died after he was shot multiple times during a target-practice outing with family in the Somerset mountain range west of Nitinat Lake.
Police reported Menard, his father and three others were camping overnight when the alleged shooting happened.
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.