Guilty plea entered on last day of manslaughter trial
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
A Waywayseecappo First Nation woman has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2023 stabbing death of Tristin Beaulieu.
The plea came on the final day of her trial.
Defence lawyer Jonathan Richert made an application to withdraw 27-year-old Talisa Brandon’s not-guilty plea to the charge of manslaughter in Brandon’s Court of King’s Bench on Thursday.
Brandon Court of King's Bench. (File)
Crown attorney Melania Cannon read some “essential facts” before Brandon entered her new plea.
Cannon said the Crown and defence agreed that there was a party in Waywayseecappo First Nation on July 5, 2023, during which there were several arguments between multiple people.
She said it was agreed the arguments turned into a “series of physical altercations in different locations,” which led to Brandon stabbing Beaulieu, 23, and causing his death.
“The Crown accepts that there was a threat of force at the time that this occurred and that Miss Brandon’s actions were in response to that perceived threat. However, she is also accepting that her reaction was not proportionate in the circumstances,” Cannon said.
Cannon called it a “true quid pro quo plea bargain,” as there were triable issues when it came to whether Brandon was acting in self-defence. Quid pro quo is defined as “something given or received for something else.”
Cannon said the Crown and defence will be jointly recommending a sentence.
Justice Scott Abel asked if it was acknowledged and agreed that Beaulieu had a knife when Brandon stabbed him. In court on Wednesday, Brandon testified that Beaulieu had a “machete” and was swinging it at her then-partner when she stabbed him.
“We can agree that he had a weapon,” Cannon responded.
Abel accepted Brandon’s guilty plea, and the Crown stayed an aggravated assault charge.
Family members of Beaulieu cried from the gallery as they listened to Brandon enter her guilty plea. One of them tightly hugged a framed picture of Beaulieu.
Brandon will be sentenced at a later date following a court-ordered pre-sentence report.
» sanderson@brandonsun.com