The end may be in sight in the 2018 manslaughter case of Coquitlam’s Martin MacDonald.
Patrick Shayne Leeson, 46, of New Aiyansh—a community north of Terrace, B.C.—was arrested by Vancouver police and then charged in January of this year.
MacDonald was killed on Feb. 6, 2018. Around 11:30 p.m., a passerby discovered the unconscious 51-year-old on the sidewalk in front of the Astoria Hotel in the Downtown Eastside, according to a police press release. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition.
At the time, police said MacDonald had been in a physical altercation and may have hit his head as a result. He died on Feb. 10.
The case against Leeson was scheduled for a preliminary hearing from Nov. 16 to 17, but was adjourned on Nov. 12 when his lawyer advised the court there would be an impending resolution in the next week or two.
Court heard that Leeson is currently in New Aiyansh and has no ID with which to travel.
A Crown prosecutor told the judge that the Leeson is willing “to take the steps Crown wants” but that an extra trip to Vancouver would potentially cause him hardship.
The case was put over to Nov. 19.
Leeson’s lawyer could not be reached for comment.
