NORTH BATTLEFORD – Tye Partridge – who is charged with first-degree murder - pleaded guilty to assaulting his co-accused Stormy Wapass-Semaganis.
In North Battleford Provincial Court Wednesday, defence Brian Pfefferle appeared by telephone and entered a guilty plea for Partridge on a charge of assault causing bodily harm on Wapass-Semaganis.
Pfefferle asked Judge Daniel O’Hanlon to delay sentencing until May when Partridge's preliminary hearing is scheduled on the murder charge.
North Battleford Senior Crown Prosecutor Jennifer Schmidt, who also appeared by telephone, told the court that other charges connected to that offence will be dropped after Partridge is sentenced. Those charges include forcible confinement, assault, break into a home with intent to commit an indictable offence, mischief, breach of probation, failing to comply with a probation order, and a firearms offence.
Twenty-three-year-old Partridge from Moosomin First Nation, 23-year-old Wapass-Semaganis from Edmonton, and four others were charged in April 2021 in connection to the death of 20-year-old Damian Moosomin whose body was found in the 1500 block of 105 Street in North Battleford in May 2020. Others charged include Jannay Blackbird, 32, of Salteaux First Nation, Melissa Semaganis, 41, from Poundmaker First Nation, Denver Roy, 36, from Sweetgrass First Nation, and a young offender who can’t be identified in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Partridge, Blackbird and Wapass-Semaganis are charged with first-degree murder. Semaganis and the young offender are charged with accessory after the fact to murder.
Roy was originally charged with second-degree murder. He was sentenced in November to 300 days in jail and given 285 days credit for time served while in remand. There is a ban on the details of Roy's sentencing hearing until the remaining accused have gone through the court system.
The charges against Partridge, Wapass-Semaganis, Semaganis, Blackird and the young offender haven’t been proven in court.
