Fort Smith man pleads guilty to assault charge while in custody awaiting homicide trial

"What's up with all the smack talk?"

That was the last thing a 19-year-old inmate said to a 16-year-old in the North Slave Correctional Complex's Young Offender Unit before attacking him and leaving him with bruises, a bloody nose and a lost tooth. 

The offender pleaded guilty to an assasult charge in territorial criminal court on Thursday morning and was issued a four-month sentence, as recommended in a joint submission from prosecutor Duane Praught and defence council Robin Parker.

The 16-year-old who was attacked cannot be named under the Youth Justice Act. The offending inmate, who is currently 19-year-old, also cannot be identified as they are facing second-degree murder charges stemming from a three-day incident in Fort Smith last March, when he was 17.

An agreed statement of the facts stated the 16-year-old youth made comments about a mutual female friend before the assault.

Prosecutor Duane Praught said aggravating factors included extensive history of charges against the Fort Smith man, while defence lawyer Robin Parker noted mitigating factors included his apology, and the fact the victim did not want to pursue charges or be a part of the prosecution. 

Jury trial next March

The four-month sentence for the 19-year-old will be served as he awaits trial.

The trial will take place next March, more than two years after break and enters, gunshots and death of one person shook the sense of safety in the community.

On March 4, 2022, people in Fort Smith woke to news of a suspicious death and reports of shots fired, as well as a series of break-ins. By mid-morning, RCMP issued a shelter-in-place order, warning that a suspect was still at large.

The suspect wasn't arrested until two days later. 

The charges related to the incident have yet to be proven in court.