A Calgary man convicted of killing Lukas Strasser-Hird has been released on bail pending his appeal.
Assmar Shlah has been released on $50,000 cash bail.
This was Shlah’s fifth attempt at getting bail since a jury convicted him of the second-degree murder of Strasser-Hird in June 2016.
He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 12 years.
“We conclude that a reasonable member of the public would understand that Canada has an appeal mechanism for a reason and would not lose confidence in the administration of justice,” the panel of appeal justices wrote.
He has a list of 16 conditions to follow, including no alcohol and no contact with any of the co-accused in the case.
The victim’s father, Dale Hird, told Global News he is crushed by the news.
He has been faithfully attending every court appearance and has vowed to fight for justice for his son.
“What a joke our system is,” he said.
“I’m completely gutted. I don’t even know what to say. I’m disgusted.”
Shlah’s defence lawyer, Balfour Der, said he is pleased with the decision.
“From my perspective, this is a wrongful conviction, which I’m hopeful will be overturned by the court of appeal,” Der said.
WATCH: Lawyers involved in the murder trial for four men charged in the swarming death of Lukas Strasser-Hird react to the verdicts.
Der said Shlah plans to return to university in Calgary after Christmas.
His bail stipulates he is on house arrest except to attend school or work.
Two other men were also convicted in the case. Franz Cabrera was found guilty of second-degree murder and Joch Pouk was found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Another man accused of first-degree murder in the case, Nathan Gervais, remains on the run from police after skipping out on his bail prior to the trial.
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