Bail hearing in May for man who allegedly shot Riverview teacher

A man accused of attempting to murder a Riverview teacher by shooting him outside the school in January will remain in prison pending a bail hearing in late May.

Janson Bryan Baker, 24, of Moncton, faces 32 charges, including attempting to murder Christopher Leger with a shotgun on Jan. 5 outside Riverview High School.

Baker appeared in Moncton provincial court Wednesday morning by video from Dorchester Penitentiary. Defence lawyer Jason Dempsey told Judge Brigitte Volpé that he had been unable to contact his client in the prison. 

"We've made repeated efforts to contact him," Dempsey said. 

During Baker's March 10 appearance by video, Dempsey also said he had been unable to get through at the prison to speak to his client.

Judge to send message to prison

Dempsey on Wednesday said he had tried various numbers and was given varying reasons why he wasn't able to talk to Baker.

The judge asked a correctional officer in the room with Baker if there was a reason lawyers weren't able to reach clients. 

"I don't know, I don't think so," the person, who wasn't identified, told the judge. 

Volpé said she would send a message to the prison to ensure contact is facilitated. 

CBC News has asked Correctional Service of Canada, which is responsible for federal prisons, for comment. 

Dempsey requested the case be adjourned for several weeks to give him time to speak to his client and prepare for a bail hearing. 

That hearing was scheduled for the afternoon of May 28. 

RCMP have previously said that Leger was leaving the high school when Baker allegedly approached him and demanded that he hand over the bag he was carrying. Baker then allegedly pulled out a gun and fired it, the RCMP said. 

He then allegedly fled the area. In a letter the school issued publicly the following day, it said the teacher suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The shooting led to the first use by RCMP in New Brunswick of the emergency alert system.

A search for Baker continued overnight. Baker was arrested Jan. 6 in Amherst. 

Baker, who had been on statutory release, was held in prison for several weeks before charges were laid in late February.

Baker also faces charges of using a sawed-off 12 gauge shotgun to also attempt to rob Joshua Hebb on Jan. 5.

Other charges include intentionally discharging a firearm while being reckless as to life, aggravated assault, storing a prohibited weapon, two charges of pointing a firearm, possession of a firearm for the purpose of committing an offence, possession of a firearm for which he did not have a registration certificate, along with a handful of other firearm related charges.

He also faces charges related to other alleged crimes from a separate time on that same day, including break and enter at a motel room on Homestead Road in Steeves Mountain, as well as allegedly stealing money from Gregory Lee Lewis while armed with a knife, and wounding Lewis with a knife.

Baker is also charged with crimes allegedly committed in December, including possession of a prohibited weapon while being prohibited from doing so, assault, driving a motor vehicle while his privileges were suspended, stealing gasoline from a gas station in Pointe-du-Chêne, and stealing a car in Grand-Barachois.

He was also charged with stealing from a National Bank of Canada in Dieppe while using threats of violence to do so on Nov. 21.