Crown prosecutors are pushing to have the teen accused in the murder of Darius Brown to be sentenced as an adult.
The 17-year-old initially faced a charge of second-degree murder, but after appearing in youth court Thursday morning, the prosecution has added a charge of drug trafficking.
“The youth is very close to being an adult and we are sensing that sentencing as an adult would be more appropriate for the situation,” said crown prosecutor Yanick Massicotte.
READ MORE: Teen’s death being treated as Montreal’s 21st homicide of 2016
Defence lawyer Andrew Barbacki was surprised by the Crown’s request, stating that his client is feeling overwhelmed.
“My client is not feeling great,” Barbacki said. “He feels very bad about what happened.”
The accused is due back in court for his bail hearing Dec. 2.
For Brown’s family and friends, the situation is tougher than they could have imagined.
They are trying to dispel rumours that Brown was involved in a robbery the night of his death.
READ MORE: Teen dies after failed armed robbery attempt
Brown was a popular basketball player and had made deep connections with his community as a volunteer at the Westhaven Community Centre.
Initially, Montreal police said that Brown fell and hit his head while trying to rob a 19-year-old, but later admitted their mistake in the investigation and ruled his death a homicide.
“It tarnished the youth’s name and reputation where people who did not know him, painted a picture of him,” said Pharaoh Hamid-Freeman, executive director of the Desta Black Youth Network.
Hamid-Freeman is rallying to have Brown’s name cleared, saying he is an innocent victim.
“I feel like the police should know better when dealing with youth and dealing with such a delicate situation,” said Hamid-Freeman.
“To make statements like that is just a lack of professionalism.”
Brown’s family is preparing for his funeral on Saturday.