Advertisement

Crown appeals acquittal of Calgary man accused in drug-fuelled assault

Click to play video: 'Ex-Calgary university student acquitted of random attack on professor while naked, high on mushrooms'
Ex-Calgary university student acquitted of random attack on professor while naked, high on mushrooms
WATCH ABOVE: (From March 3, 2020) A former Mount Royal University hockey captain who brutally beat a professor in her home while drunk and high on magic mushrooms was acquitted on Tuesday. As Silvana Benolich reports, it's believed to be the first time a defence of "extreme intoxication to the point of automatism" has been successfully argued in Alberta – Mar 3, 2020

The Crown is appealing the acquittal of a Calgary man who court heard was delirious on magic mushrooms when he broke into a professor’s house naked and assaulted her.

Earlier this month, Justice Michele Hollins found Matthew Brown not guilty of two counts of break and enter — one with commission of aggravated assault, and the other with commission of mischief.

Hollins said in her decision that the evidence supported the defence’s argument that Brown was experiencing automatism and was not in control of his actions.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

READ MORE: Calgary man acquitted of random attack on professor while naked, high on mushrooms

The Crown’s notice of appeal says Hollins erred by making findings in fact in the absence of evidence and accepting expert witness evidence without foundational facts.

The trial heard the former captain of Mount Royal University’s men’s hockey team, who is now 29, was drinking and eating magic mushrooms at a house party in January 2018.

Story continues below advertisement

Court heard that Brown broke into the home of Janet Hamnett, a university professor who lived alone, and hit her with a broom handle.

The Crown is also appealing a pre-trial decision by a different Queen’s Bench judge that a Criminal Code section that prohibits self-induced intoxication as a defence in violent crimes was unconstitutional.

It is asking for the acquittals to be set aside and replaced with convictions, or a new trial.

Sponsored content

AdChoices