Two men found not guilty of break, enter and assault in Christmas Day shooting
Krystalle Ramlakhan | CBC News | Posted: September 13, 2017 3:57 PM | Last Updated: September 13, 2017
Brodie McQuaid and Matthew Clarke have been found not guilty of break, enter and assault relating to an incident where both men were shot during an argument in Pleasant Grove, P.E.I. on Christmas Day, 2015.
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They were accused of arriving — uninvited — at the home of Matthew Misener and assaulting him.
The decision came down Wednesday morning in Supreme Court. There was a four day trial with dates in April and June earlier this year where several witnesses testified.
Justice Nancy Key said in court she did not find the Crown proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the two men entered Misener's home uninvited.
'High school drama'
Key said she acquitted the men because she found they were invited and challenged by Misener leading up to the incident while arguing over the phone to come to the house to "settle this like men."
Key told court that leading up to the Christmas Day argument there were "chirpy" and "nasty" messages and phone calls relating to friends and accusations of infidelity.
Key said it was "high school drama" and a "great deal of silliness over women" and "not conduct of men in this age group."
Matthew Misener was sentenced in February to one year in jail in connection to the incident on Christmas Day.
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