Jury rejects self-defence claim in knife attack
B.C. man found guilty
in stabbing outside bar
Beth Brown
Northern News Services
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
An NWT Supreme Court jury has rejected a suspected gang member's claim of self defence after stabbing a man 14 times during a fight outside a bar.
Nathan Hodges enters the territorial courthouse Friday under police escort. The B.C. man was found guilty of aggravated assault for stabbing a man 14 times outside of Coyote's Steakhouse and Lounge in 2014. - Beth Brown/NNSL photo |
Nathan Hodges of Aldergrove, B.C., was charged with aggravated assault following the Aug. 9, 2014 incident that took place in the parking lot of Coyote's Steakhouse and Lounge at closing time.
Chase Van Metre, a Yellowknife resident, suffered extensive injuries to his face, neck and chest, including a wound that penetrated his torso and caused blood to pool under his lungs.
The jury of eight women and four men deliberated for eight hours Friday before deciding on a guilty verdict at around 7:30 p.m. The jury asked for portions of cross-examination testimony during deliberations and for the Justice Louise Charbonneau to reiterate a definition of self-defence that she had explained earlier.
Ultimately, even though the victim chose not to testify or appear in court and did not provide a victim impact statement - omissions Charbonneau said "may be a gap in the evidence" - the jury agreed with prosecutor Marc Lecorre, who described the stabbing as a "vicious attack" where Hodges "just kept going ... well beyond the bounds of self defence."
"He didn't have to fight, he could have walked away," said Lecorre during closing arguments.
"He brought a knife to a fist fight."
The knife used in the stabbing was about two inches long and was attached to a key chain. Hodges initially told police he had stabbed Van Metre with a key but later admitted he had used the knife. RCMP have previously linked the 26-year-old man to the notorious "856" criminal drug gang based out of lower mainland B.C.
Court heard on the night of the stabbing Hodges and Van Metre had an argument inside the bar. Witnesses saw Hodges holding the knife but testified that he kept it lowered at his belt, under his hands which he kept crossed.
The two shook hands prior to exiting Coyote's but bartender Alexis Goulding - the only sober witness -said Hodges had been "egging" Van Metre on and that the victim had been calling Hodges names.
Knowing a fight might break out, Goulding kept people in the bar for around 10 minutes after Hodges left.
Outside, Hodges testified that Van Metre had punched him and that he stabbed him out of fear.
Van Metre, now 24, was described by witnesses as very fit, more than six foot tall and able to lift 400 pounds. Hodges is of average build.
Other witnesses said Van Metre was outnumbered. One witness called the scene outside the bar "a zoo."
Hodges has been in custody since the stabbing. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 19 at 2 p.m.
