Manslaughter charge in death of chef stayed because conviction unlikely: Crown

A manslaughter charge has been stayed against a man arrested in the death of a Ste Anne chef because prosecutors did not believe they could prove the accused wasn’t acting in self-defence, a court heard Wednesday.

Jeff Wyness, 46, was arrested May 12, 10 days after 49-year-old Cameron Huley was fatally assaulted outside a home in the RM of Ste Anne.

“Following a thorough review of all the evidence, including witness statements, forensic evidence and the applicable law regarding the defence of another person, the Crown has concluded there is no longer a reasonable likelihood of conviction on the charge before the court,” prosecutor Keri Anderson told provincial court Judge Anne Krahn.

Steinbach RCMP were called to a home just after 11:30 p.m. and found Huley suffering from serious injuries. He died hours later in hospital.

Police at the time said investigators determined Cameron was at a party outside the home where an altercation between several people took place.

“The evidence establishes that the deceased was engaged in a rapidly evolving confrontation prior to the fatal injury,” Anderson said Wednesday. “The available evidence raised a live issue as to whether the accused was acting in defence of another person.”

Wyness was not present in court but had been notified the manslaughter charge was going to be stayed, his lawyer Evan Roitenberg said.

Huley’s brother said the development has made him lose faith in the justice system.

“It does not work for victims at all,” Jason Huley said Wednesday.

Huley asked anyone with additional information about the incident who may not already have come forward to do so.

Police had said Wyness, who lived in the municipality, was arrested without incident and did not know the victim. He was friends with residents at the home where the altercation took place.

First published in the Winnipeg Free Press, Oct. 15.