The case against a man who was charged with manslaughter in the death of Ste. Anne chef Cameron Huley was stayed because the prosecutor believes there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction.
Huley, 49, died a few hours after an altercation at a “social gathering” in the rural municipality of Ste. Anne in the early morning on May 3, police said at the time.
Wyness was 46 when he was arrested nine days later and charged in connection with Huley’s death.
Wyness and Huley, who didn’t previously know each other, were guests at the residence when a fight broke out, RCMP said at the time.
On Wednesday, prosecutors entered a stay of proceedings against Wyness in court.
After reviewing witness statements, forensic evidence and the applicable laws, the Crown’s office determined there was no “reasonable likelihood of conviction,” Crown prosecutor Keri Anderson told the court on Wednesday.
“The deceased was involved in a rapidly evolving confrontation prior to the fatal injury,” Anderson said, in court recordings reviewed by CBC News.
“The available evidence raised a live issue as to whether the accused was acting in defence of another person and … the Crown is not satisfied that it could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused’s actions were not legally justifiable.”
Anderson stressed the decision to withdraw the charges “should not be understood as diminishing consequences of this incident.”
Huley spent more than two decades as a chef, representing Canada in multiple international culinary competitions, his website said.
He was a volunteer firefighter and also volunteered with the Ste. Anne Police Service, his LinkedIn profile said.
Dining and Cooking