Grand Manan riot defendants make self-defense claim

The jury trial is under way of the five Grand Manan men charged in a July 22 incident in which a group of about 40 islanders attacked a smaller group of islanders and mainlanders whom they suspected of dealing in drugs. During the riot, the house of a suspected crack dealer was burned to the ground in Castalia. In the aftermath, Lloyd Bainbridge, 31, was charged with one count of arson; Carter Foster, 24, was charged with possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace and with the unsafe storage of five firearms; Gregory Guthrie, 26, was charged with one count of possession of a firearm dangerous to public peace; Matthew Lambert, 27, was charged with two counts of possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace; and Michael Small, 26, was charged with possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace and arson.

Appearing before Justice Hugh McLellan on November 2 in the St. Andrews courthouse, the quintet admitted they had committed the actions of which they are accused but did so in self-defense -- of themselves and their community.

The first three witnesses for the crown were Constable Gerald Bigger, Constable Diane Veonneau and Corporal Ron Smith, all of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who testified about the four-hour melee.

Grand Manan Fire Chief Colin Bagley and firefighters Christopher Ingalls, Russell Ingalls, Philip Brown and David Park testified that they were aware that Ronald Ross' house was reputed to be a crack house, and they had heard rumours that some citizens were going to burn it down. They had also heard rumours that a drug dealer was going to burn down houses. Park, a retired teacher, had taught the defendants in school and said that they had never been in trouble, and it was a pleasure to know them.

Late in the afternoon of November 6, Ronald Ross took the stand and testified he had three previous incidents with neighbors. First, someone took his propane tank and threw it through his living room window when he wasn't home. Second, someone burned, in Ross' driveway, an SUV belonging to Terrence Irvine. Third, he had observed Jeff Foster, the father of Carter Foster, coming out of the woods behind his house, and Ross thought he was going to burn down Ross' house. Ross also testified that he is not a crack dealer.

The crown prosecutors are James McAvity and Randy DiPaolo, and the defendants are represented by David Lutz and Carley Parish. The Grand Manan Concerned Citizens Legal Defense Fund has received $30,000 to help pay the five men's legal expenses.