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'I assaulted him', said manslaughter suspect: Crown

VANCOUVER-A Squamish man beat his friend to death after a drunken argument, it was alleged in court this week. Jesse Andy, 32, is on trial at Vancouver Supreme Court for manslaughter, following a killing in Squamish on Sept. 8, 2003.

VANCOUVER-A Squamish man beat his friend to death after a drunken argument, it was alleged in court this week.

Jesse Andy, 32, is on trial at Vancouver Supreme Court for manslaughter, following a killing in Squamish on Sept. 8, 2003. Gary Wray, 44, was found lying in a pool of blood at an apartment building entrance behind the Mini Flea Market on Second Avenue around 10 p.m. He died of his injuries around an hour later.

Crown lawyer Alison Crowe began the prosecution on Monday [Sept. 20], with a brief rundown of what, she claimed, "is not a complicated case". She stated that Andy and Wray were "both alcoholics and spent a lot of time drinking together," and, on the night in question, had been in the apartment of Roland Page, above the Mini Flea Market.

Andy left, but returned and confronted Wray outside the building, she continued. Andy believed Wray had stolen money from Page, and "a fight ensued" during which police were called, said Crowe.

She said blood was "smeared up the walls and dropped onto the ground" which was consistent with someone "being beaten while leaning on a wall, dripping blood onto the floor".

Constable Terry Reynolds of Squamish RCMP told the court that he had been parked nearby, and arrived at the scene within 30 seconds.

"I received a report about a fight in progress between two native males behind the Mini Flea Market," he said. "I went past the building before I came to a stop.

"I saw a native male, who appeared to look back at the patrol car, and walk further and faster from me. I stepped out of my car, and asked, 'What were you fighting about?' He [Andy] stated, 'I assaulted him'. He turned around and held his hand behind his back as if for handcuffs."

Const. Reynolds said Andy had blood on his T-shirt, jeans and hands, and was intoxicated, so he arrested him for assault and being drunk in public. He then continued to the scene with Andy in the police cruiser.

Fellow RCMP member Const. Nicole Silvernagle found Wray lying on his back with his feet inside the doorway. He was initially conscious and able to give his name and date of birth, although he declined to name his attacker.

Wray was taken to hospital by ambulance and Const. Reynolds took Andy to the detachment, where he later told him that Wray had died.

Around 12:23 a.m. Const. Reynolds gave Andy some paper and allowed him to call a lawyer. He later recovered this, on which he stated Andy had written: "Gary Wray, love you bro'."

During cross examination of the two officers, it emerged that at some point during the evening a bicycle was removed from near the crime scene.

The trial, which is being heard before a jury, opened Monday, Sept. 13. The first week was entirely given over to legal arguments, with the jury first hearing evidence this Monday [Sept. 20]. The prosecution case is estimated to last between two and three weeks.

Speaking outside of court, Andy's lawyer Ray Dieno stated that his client had acted in self-defence.

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