Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Hay River (June 03/02) - One of the two men charged with the beating death of a Hay River man will plead guilty to manslaughter, according to the RCMP.

Cpl. Gary Asels of the Hay River detachment said last week that Craig Stromberg, 36, will enter the plea when he appears in NWT Supreme Court on a date to be set.

Asels said the deal was worked out by Crown and defence lawyers.

Stromberg's lawyer, Robert Gorin of Yellowknife, would not discuss the case or say if any plea agreement had been reached. He confirmed, however, that Stromberg has been committed to stand trial for manslaughter.

Gorin appeared in a Yellowknife court on May 20 and said his client would waive a preliminary inquiry on a charge of second-degree murder and stand trial for manslaughter.

A preliminary inquiry was held last week in Hay River for the other man charged in the case, Pavel Bruha, 51.

Like Stromberg, Bruha had been charged with second-degree murder. But Judge Brian Bruser ordered him to stand trial on a charge of manslaughter as a result of the preliminary inquiry.

Details of the hearing are subject to a publication ban. A trial date has yet to be set.

Both Stromberg and Bruha are charged in connection with the death of Yves Lebel, who was discovered dead at the Cedar Rest Motel in Hay River on Jan. 17.

Both accused were released on bail in March.