Moncton man admits shooting teacher, trial to continue

A Moncton man has admitted he shot a teacher in Riverview almost three years ago, a development expected to shorten his trial and leave it focused on his intent.

Janson Bryan Baker's trial on 16 charges began Monday. The 27-year-old is accused of attempting to murder teacher Christopher Leger outside Riverview High School using a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun on Jan. 5, 2021.

On Wednesday, prosecutors and Baker's lawyer gave Justice Richard Petrie an agreed statement of facts. 

The document says the 27-year-old admits he committed the actus reus of the offences, a Latin phrase for guilty act. It's one component of a crime, with the other being the mens rea, or intention or knowledge of wrongdoing. 

Baker has not pleaded guilty. 

The admissions have led to the Crown no longer needing to call various witnesses to testify to prove the 16 charges. 

Alex Pate, Baker's lawyer, on Tuesday said he expected the admissions to reduce the four-week trial by three weeks. 

Malika Levesque, one of the Crown prosecutors on the case, told Petrie on Wednesday that they expect to finish calling witnesses to testify by Monday. 

Pate told the judge he is still looking for an expert witness to testify for the defence about Baker's ability to form intent based on his level of intoxication. 

Pate said they need to secure that expert, have them interview Baker and prepare a report. 

"Obviously, this will take some time," Pate said, telling the judge they will seek an adjournment of the case. 

The agreed statement of facts says Baker was the lone occupant of a 2020 Hyundai Elantra on Jan. 5, 2021, driving on the Riverview High School property when he drove up to Leger and Joshua Hebb, threatened them, pointed the shotgun at them, and then shot Leger. 

It says Baker then fled and was found in Amherst, N.S., the following day. 

The document outlines Baker's activity before and after the alleged crimes, including a stop around noon at a McDonald's in Shediac and a gas theft at a Shell station in Moncton about two hours before the shooting.

The Elantra, located in Amherst the day after the shooting, had various items that included a red duffel bag with the shotgun, shotgun shells, and a shotgun casing. 

Baker's fingerprints were found in the Elantra, which a witness testified Wednesday had been stolen the day before the shooting. 

Baker's cellphone browser search history showed a search for reprogramming key fobs for a 2020 Hyundai Elantra.

Only two witnesses testified in the trial Wednesday. 

A Dieppe Canadian Tire employee testified Baker spoke to him briefly in the store parking lot. 

"I thought he was very friendly," Claude LeBlanc testified, later saying Baker didn't appear "drunk or arrogant." 

It's a detail that appears to go to Baker's state of mind in the hours ahead of the alleged shooting. Pate has indicated Baker's ability to form intent to commit the alleged crimes is in question.

'Seemed perfectly normal'

Pate has said the defence wants to find an expert witness to address whether intoxication would affect Baker's ability to form intent given his level of intoxication. 

At the start of his testimony, LeBlanc told the Crown prosecutor that there was "a lot" of things he didn't remember three years after the brief conversation.

It was a comment Pate picked up on, questioning whether LeBlanc remembered all aspects of Baker's state during the conversation. 

"I speak to people all the time, he seemed perfectly normal to me," LeBlanc said.

LeBlanc identified Baker in the courtroom as the man he spoke to that day.

The Elantra's owner, Praveen Sharma, was the second witness to testify.  Sharma said he left the car running Jan. 4 to warm up and saw it being driven away from his parking space. 

Three more witnesses are expected to testify Thursday, including an RCMP officer. 

Baker faces 16 charges, including using a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun while attempting to rob Leger and Hebb of their gym bags, discharging a firearm with intent to main or wound Leger, aggravated assault, and possessing a stolen vehicle.