A judge is expected to give a verdict Thursday in the first-degree murder trial of former Mountie Bernie Herman.
Back in December, Crown prosecutors said the former Saskatchewan Mountie deliberately lured his lover to an isolated area to kill him, but the accused’s lawyer argues the shooting was in self-defence.
Bernie Herman, 55, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of 26-year-old Braden Herman.
The two men are not related.
Braden Herman’s naked body was found in 2021 in a park on the outskirts of Prince Albert. He had been shot in the chest area.
The trial has heard that the two men met on Facebook in about 2018, and Braden Herman moved into the veteran officer’s family home.
The relationship quickly became sexual and caused strain on the Mountie’s marriage. The officer’s wife kicked Braden Herman out of the home in 2019, but the sexual relationship between the men continued.
Bernie Herman testified the sex wasn’t always consensual. He also told court that he was afraid, as Braden Herman would get violent.
On the day of the shooting, May 11, 2021, the court heard that Bernie Herman called Braden 59 times. Braden didn’t call the officer once.
Bernie took the stand during the tr,ial and testified he called Braden because he was upset about text messages he had received from his wife.
Bernie told the court he left the RCMP station with his uniform, duty belt and weapon with plans to clean the items later at home. The court heard that normally left his gear at the station.
At some point in the day, he picked Braden up in his truck drove to an isolated area in Little Red River Park on the outskirts of Prince Albert.
Bernie testified Braden grabbed him by the face, breaking a tooth in the process. He said Braden — who was naked, walked to the back of the passenger side of the truck and bent down to grab an object. The Mountie testiffiefd he was afraid in this moment.
The former officer told the court he doesn’t remember what happened next, but his gun went off. Braden’s body was found with a gunshot wound, two large bruises on his upper chest and other injuries.
Lawyers don’t dispute that Bernie Herman fired the gun that killed the younger man. But in closing arguments in the trial on Dec. 13, 2023 they disagreed on whether the deadly encounter was planned.
The judge reserved his verdict until January.
A verdict is expected to come down at 11 a.m. Thursday in Prince Albert.
— With files from the Canadian Press’ Kelly Geraldine Malone