Latest news with #HubCityPub
CBC
28-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Accused in Moncton manslaughter trial says he 'retaliated' after manager shoved him
A man accused of manslaughter has told a Moncton jury what happened from his perspective during his altercation two years ago with a casino manager who later died. Michael Glaspy, a 53-year-old from Riverview, is on trial in the death of Rodney Frenette, 56, who was a food and beverage manager at Casino New Brunswick when he died in March 2023. Glaspy told the jury Wednesday that he swung at Frenette in retaliation after Frenette shoved him first. The physical altercation caused Frenette to fall backward and hit his head on the floor. He died 24 days later in a Moncton hospital. The Crown called several witnesses over the past two weeks who recounted how Glaspy had been told he was cut off for drinking too much at the Hub City Pub inside the casino, in the early hours of March 4. The defence opened and closed its case on Wednesday, calling two witnesses, including Glaspy, who began by describing how his evening at the casino started. Glaspy said he had whisky and a shot of tequila at the bar with his girlfriend, Felicia MacDonald. He testified they sat at the bar and also danced. He also said he'd had wine and whisky at two other restaurants, and wine at home earlier in the night. Glaspy said he "had some words" with a man at the bar whom he didn't name. He remembers the man telling him he was going to be thrown out of the casino. Glaspy then identified Frenette in surveillance footage shown to the jury and said he was pointing and yelling at him while he was seated at the bar. Glaspy said he got up, grabbed his jacket and drink and walked over to Frenette on the other side of the bar. "I said to Mr. Frenette that I was leaving and that I was going to go get my girlfriend," Glaspy testified, adding that Frenette told him he couldn't get her and he'd have to leave right away. Glaspy said Frenette was "abrupt and intimidating — stern" and shoved him first. "I retaliated," Glaspy said, specifying that he swung at Frenette but did not land the punch. At this point in his testimony, Frenette's daughter quickly walked out of the courtroom. Frenette's widow had already left. Glaspy continued, saying he remembers people surrounding them during the altercation, and someone had an "arm around my neck." When asked how Frenette ended up on the floor, Glaspy shrugged his shoulders and quickly shook his head back and forth. "He must have fell," he said. "I don't know what happened." Glaspy said he has little recollection of what happened after the altercation. He said he does remember "pressure" being put on his back, having a hard time breathing, and feeling as if was going to pass out when security guards later detained him in the casino lobby. During cross-examination, the Crown referred to a statement Glaspy gave to police after his arrest. They asked him whether it was true that, "in your own words, you drank more than you should have?" In the witness box, Glaspy let out a long exhale, paused and said, "Yes." Before Glaspy testified, the defence also called MacDonald, who has been referred to as Glaspy's girlfriend. Previous testimony from Crown witnesses described her as intoxicated and loud that night, which MacDonald agreed with during her testimony. She told the jury she and Glaspy, whom she's known for 10 years, began drinking around 4:30 p.m. on March 3 and continued drinking into the morning of March 4. She said she does not recall the altercation but remembers being on the dance floor most of the night. She said they were both "in a celebratory mood" because they had discussed their future together and talked about getting married. In his brief opening statement, defence lawyer Gilles Lemieux said he only intended to call those two witnesses. "Let me show you the other side," he told the jury. With both the Crown and the defence cases now closed, Justice Christa Bourque of the Court of King's Bench told the jurors to return Friday, when both sides will deliver their closing statements.
CBC
16-05-2025
- CBC
Bartenders, patron describe violent altercation in Moncton manslaughter trial
Social Sharing Two bartenders and a patron testified in Moncton Court of King's Bench Thursday about what unfolded at a pub inside Casino New Brunswick in the early morning hours of March 4, 2023. Michael Glaspy, 53, is facing one charge of manslaughter in connection with the death of Rodney Frenette, a food and beverage manager at the casino. Frenette died 24 days after the alleged assault at Hub City Pub. Video surveillance of an altercation between Glaspy and Frenette was presented to the jury several times in court Thursday. Glaspy is seen walking up to Frenette near the pub's dance floor, where people were sitting and talking at tables. After an argument and a struggle, Frenette eventually stumbles and falls backwards, hitting his head on the floor. He does not get up. Danilo Roque, who was a bartender at Casino New Brunswick for 11 years and was working that night, testified that he saw how the altercation began. "Mr. Glaspy was too close to Rodney, like he was going to do something," he told the jury. "Then I saw a swing." Roque clarified that he did not see Glaspy's punch hit Frenette. Roque said he and another bartender, Dominic Gagnon, ran over and held Glaspy's arms as he was "trying to attack Rodney." Roque testified he heard Glaspy say "just one punch, just one punch." Gagnon also testified on Thursday and confirmed how the fight unfolded and that Glaspy seemed to want to continue to hit Frenette. During cross-examination, defence lawyer Gilles Lemieux replayed footage of the altercation for Roque, pausing near the beginning. "Would you agree with me that Mr. Frenette pushed him?" he asked Roque, referring to a moment where Frenette can be seen shoving Glaspy. Roque replied, "Yes." "And there hadn't been a swing at that point, is that correct?" Roque replied, "No." Lemieux continued the video to a point where Frenette is seen falling backward, along with Glaspy and the bartenders holding him. "Everybody went down like dominoes, would you agree?," Lemieux asked Roque, to which he replied, "Yes." "It wasn't a punch that knocked him down ... would you agree with me?" "I think so," Roque said. Glaspy and his wife 'seemed intoxicated' Jennifer Gallant, who described herself as a regular at the pub, was at Casino New Brunswick that day. She testified that throughout the evening and into the early morning, Glaspy and his wife were "disturbing everyone that was at that place" and that "there was a lot of drinking." Gagnon said he served Glaspy two double whiskeys and a shot of tequila, and that he "seemed intoxicated." He said Glaspy's wife had a double whiskey, then a single, and shot of tequila. The Crown played more video surveillance of the pub, which showed the band playing and people dancing. Gallant said she was sitting at a table between the dance floor and a long bar. Gallant told the jury that prior to the altercation, she heard Frenette tell Glaspy at the bar that he would no longer be served alcohol but that he could stay. Later, during cross-examination, Gallant changed parts of her answers. When asked if she had seen Frenette tell Glaspy that he was cut off, she said she couldn't be sure it was Glaspy who was being addressed. She also said that she didn't find any of Glaspy's behaviour offensive, nor that he was disturbing anyone as Lemieux replayed video of Glaspy dancing and leaning into the stage where a band was playing. When the Crown asked Gallant to recount what she saw after the altercation, she said that from her table she saw Frenette lying on the ground. "He was down and there was blood coming out of his ears," she said, adding that he was shaking aggressively. Around this time in Gallant's testimony, Frenette's wife and daughter left the courtroom, both in tears. Members of Glaspy's family were also in court. Gallant said she eventually got up, cleared the area around Frenette, and told the band to stop playing. She said she heard Glaspy walk back into the space and say, "This is not done, this is not done." Later, during cross-examination, Gallant clarified, saying she wasn't certain if Glaspy or a security guard or someone else had said those words.
