The Superior Court murder trial of three former army reservists accused of killing a Toronto homeless man three years ago ended abruptly today as two of the three pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Corporal Jeffrey Hall and Private Brian Deganis, now 24 and 23 respectively, admitted beating and kicking to death Paul Croutch, 59.
The third accused, 25-year-old Mountaz Ibrahim, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and to helping his fellow soldiers flee the scene.
The manslaughter pleas stemmed from a reasonable doubt that Cpl. Hall and Pte. Deganis had the capability to form an intent to kill, prosecutor Hank Goody told the jurors. They were drunk at the time, the jurors heard.
As well, Mr. Goody said, there was doubt whether Cpl. Ibrahim was with them when Mr. Croutch was attacked.
Cpl. Hall and Pte Deganis wept in the prisoner's box as Mr. Goody detailed Mr Coutch's injuries for the jurors.
The trio, all former members of the Queen's Own Rifles, had faced charges of second-degree murder in the Aug. 31, 2005 beating of Mr. Croutch, who suffered fractured ribs, a torn spleen and a fatal brain injury.
The incident took place in the eastern downtown area of Moss Park, close to the armoury.
The three men were also accused of setting upon bystander Valerie Valen who was walking in the area and whose testimony was central to the prosecution's case.
For the attack on Ms. Valen, who has acknowledged launching a $2.5-million lawsuit against the three accused and against the federal government, and whose court testimony drew several rebukes from Superior Court Justice Eugene Ewaschuk, they were charged with assault causing bodily harm.