Hearing set for man accused in killing at healthcare facility

By Lethbridge Herald on October 19, 2023.

Delon Shurtz
LETHBRIDGE HERALD

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for a 52-year-old man accused of killing a resident at a healthcare facility in Lethbridge.

Dates for the three-day hearing, April 15, 18 and 19, 2024, were scheduled during a pretrial conference Monday and confirmed Wednesday in Lethbridge court of justice by Lethbridge lawyer Cara Lebenzon. A preliminary hearing is typically held to determine if there is enough evidence to warrant a trial.

Wesley Red Young Man is charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault stemming from the death of 78-year-old Kenneth Hale at the St. Michael’s Health Centre in the 1400 block of 9 Avenue South. The accused remains in custody at the Lethbridge Correctional Centre and was not required to attend court Wednesday.

Police reported they believe Hale had been assaulted by another resident of the health centre on Dec. 26, 2022, then died of his injuries on Jan. 3.

“The victim and subject were known to one another and resided in the same unit,” a police news release stated, noting the accused was arrested at the care facility.

Defence elected on Aug. 24 to have the accused tried by a judge without a jury in Lethbridge Court of King’s Bench.