Teen expected to plead next month to charge of causing youth's death

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A teen will return to court next month to plead to an allegation he illegally caused the death of another boy earlier this year.

The 15-year-old accused was in Moncton youth court with his mother on Wednesday and defence lawyer Pierrette Allain. He’s charged with manslaughter in the shooting death another youth on Feb. 5 in Moncton.

Allain said she just got disclosure of the Crown’s evidence and needs time to go through it and meet with her client to discuss it and decide the next steps. As a result, the court adjourned the case to May 29 and the teen will elect his mode of trial and plead at that time.

The accused in the case can’t be named because he’s under 18 and the victim also can’t be named due to a publication ban that covers the identities of any youth victim or witness.

The accused was released by the court on Feb. 7 into the care of his mother on a number of conditions. The teen will be on house arrest except for school, court and medical appointments, can’t have contact with several people and can’t possess or use any intoxicants. He is also banned from having any guns, weapons, ammo or explosives.

The RCMP said in a news release that at approximately 9:20 p.m. on Feb. 5, members of the Codiac Regional RCMP responded to a report of a shot fired inside a residence on Sands Drive, which is in a neighbourhood off Elmwood Drive. When police arrived, they found a 16-year-old boy inside the home suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to hospital and later died.

At approximately 10:30 p.m., police arrested the 15-year-old boy. Investigators described the shooting as “an isolated incident.“