admitted killer convicted of manslaughter in banff stabbing after jury rejects self-defence argument
the 12-member calgary court of king's bench jury deliberated about 15 hours over two days before convicting sproule on a charge of manslaughter
2 minute read
ryden brogden died after he was stabbed outside a banff bar on saturday, sept. 3, 2022.
instagram photo
b.c. tourist john sproule was not acting in self-defence when he fatally stabbed priddis man ryden brogden outside a banff bar, a jury ruled wednesday.
the 12-member calgary court of king’s bench jury deliberated about 15 hours over two days before convicting sproule on a charge of manslaughter. he had been charged with second-degree murder.
sproule, 23, admitted fatally stabbing brogden, 27, during an altercation outside the dancing sasquatch bar on banff avenue in the national park town.
sproule said he frantically swung a pocket knife he had in his possession for work purposes when brogden began to beat him up in the early morning hours of sept. 3, 2022.
sproule had asked brogden for a cigarette before the altercation erupted.
defence counsel cory wilson argued sproule was fighting for his life when he stabbed brogden 12 times and cut him seven more times during the brief altercation.
“johnny sproule was violently and brutally attacked by ryden brogden for absolutely no reason,” wilson told jurors monday during final crown and defence submissions.
“johnny sproule, in desperate fear for his life, used his work pocket knife and acted in self-defence by frantically swinging the knife to stop the attack from the much larger and older man.”
advertisement
the lawyer said brogden did not stop his attack on sproule until he was “literally pulled off” the accused by a bouncer from the nearby bar.
but crown prosecutor kaitlyn perrin sought a conviction for second-degree murder arguing sproule stabbed brogden with the intention of at least causing him grievous bodily harm and was reckless whether he died, or not.
perrin noted brogden’s friend, howard pearse, who was in banff with the deceased on their way to a fishing trip in b.c., painted sproule as the aggressor.
pearse said sproule demanded brogden give him the cigarette the deceased was smoking and threatened to shank him if he didn’t.
justice johanna price told jurors they would have to convict sproule of manslaughter if they rejected self-defence, but he didn’t have the intent to commit murder either through provocation, intoxication, or a combination of those with elements of self-defence.
share story
