CAMPBELLTON, N.B. – A preliminary hearing that will decide if the man charged in the African python case will stand trial begins Tuesday.
Jean-Claude Savoie is charged with criminal negligence causing death in the tragic deaths of Noah and Connor Barthe, on August 5, 2013.
READ MORE: Jury trial for man charged in python case
Savoie was the owner of the African Rock Python that escaped its enclosure inside his apartment and asphyxiated the two boys as they slept. They were staying at Savoie’s for a sleepover.
The RCMP alleged at the time that the 45-kilogram snake escaped a glass tank through a vent and slithered through a ventilation pipe, but its weight caused the pipe to collapse and it fell into the living room where the boys were sleeping.
Savoie, 38, was arrested Feb. 5 near Montreal.
He is not expected to appear in court Tuesday, according to his lawyer, Leslie Matchim.
‘It will reopen some wounds’
The deputy mayor of Campbellton, who had become the spokesperson for the city when the deaths occurred, said the hearing will be difficult for the community.
“Slowly, we were starting to heal. But this thing here will reopen some wounds,” he said.
In August of 2013, Environment Canada confirmed to Global News that the python was dropped off anonymously to a local branch of the SPCA.
READ MORE: Two boys killed by python died from asphyxiation: RCMP
“The SPCA subsequently contacted Environment Canada to request assistance in transporting the snake that was dropped off,” Mark Johnson said.
“Environment Canada provided assistance in placing the snake, as Environment Canada wildlife officers are trained in handling wild animals.”
At the time, Johnson said because the snake was already in Canada, Environment Canada did not require Savoie to have a permit to own it.
Since then, an exotic animals task force was started to look at provincial regulations.
Comeau said both council and the family were happy with the outcome of that task force.
“We had always said that we would leave the court system, the working committee to do it’s work and when the working committee came out with it’s recommendation, there were some good recommendations. Council was happy to see it, the family was also happy to see the findings,” he said.
“But the preliminary inquiry I think will be a hard one in regards to what will be the end result, what will be the decision, whether or not there will be a trial at the end.”
The hearing runs until Thursday.
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