Regina man's death in 2020 was unintended result of planned confrontation, Crown lawyers argue

Crown prosecutors are trying to portray the August 2020 death of Mathew Bossenberry in Regina as an unintended result of a premeditated confrontation.

Wednesday marked Day 2 of the trial for Joshua Larose, 42, who is accused of second-degree murder in connection with Bossenberry's death. He has pleaded not guilty.

Wednesday's proceedings in the Court of King's Bench in Regina began with the Crown counsel's opening statement. David Bélanger, one of the Crown lawyers, told the jury that they aim to prove that Larose did not kill Bossenberry in self-defence after he showed up at a Regina home on Aug. 24, 2020.

Larose had previously had a conflict with a person who lived in the home, Bélanger told the jury Wednesday. Details about that person's identify cannot be revealed due to a publication ban.

While Larose was later serving time in the Regina Remand Centre for unrelated charges, he decided that he would get back at the person living in the home, Bélanger said.

After his release, Larose had someone drive him to the home. He walked around to the back and asked to come in, saying he wanted to apologize, Bélanger said.

He was led into the living room. Bossenberry and another person had been there visiting for about an hour, the lawyer said, and were sitting with the resident Larose had come to confront when he arrived.

Larose then revealed a can of bear mace, Bélanger said, and said something along the lines of, "I hope you'll like this pepper spray."

Bossenberry was hit with the spray, Bélanger said, but fought back. He eventually found an old two-by-four lying in a backroom, but Larose pulled out a knife, court was told.

The Crown called several members of the Regina Police Service and a paramedic to testify Wednesday.

Const. Zach White was dispatched after two 911 calls were made about an injured man at the residence. The Crown played one of the recordings in court Wednesday.

The caller told the operator that her eyes were burning and that she could not go back inside because the place was sprayed with bear mace.