A 43-year-old Blumenort man has admitted responsibility in the accidental killing of his stepson.
Cory Jay Davis pleaded guilty Thursday to criminal negligence causing death and possessing a firearm while prohibited in connection to the Aug. 1, 2023, shooting death of 27-year-old Dylan Jones.
Jones had been visiting the Blumenort home of his mother and Davis for a barbecue prior to the shooting, Crown attorney Kristee Logan told provincial court Judge Samuel Raposo.
“Mr. Davis and Mr. Jones were both consuming alcohol throughout the day,” Logan said. “Mr. Davis consumed a significant amount of alcohol and was intoxicated.”
Logan said Jones’s mother had stepped outside for a cigarette around 7:30 p.m., leaving the two men alone in the house, when Jones showed Davis a replica handgun he had acquired.
“Then Mr. Davis wanted to show a gun that he had in the bedroom closet,” Logan said.
Davis pulled the gun from the closet without checking to see if it was loaded.
“Dylan went to reach for the gun,” Logan said. “Mr. Davis said: ‘Don’t do that,’ pulled back the gun, and the gun accidentally went off one time,” killing Jones.
Davis said he believed Jones touched the gun, but was unsure how the trigger was pulled, Logan said. Davis “says his finger was not on the trigger and everything happened in a split second,” she said.
Davis pleaded guilty to an additional charge of breaching a court order specifying he not contact his wife. The Crown stayed several related firearm charges.
Davis, who is Métis, will be sentenced at a later date following the completion of a Gladue report detailing his Indigenous background and upbringing.
Logan and defence lawyer Saheel Zaman are expected to jointly recommend Davis be sentenced to six years in prison.
“There will be some additional facts (provided to court at sentencing) in terms of my client’s post-offence conduct that will show his significant remorse right after (the shooting),” Zaman told Raposo.
A sentencing date has not been set. Davis remains in custody.
Dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca
Dean Pritchard
Courts reporter
Dean Pritchard is courts reporter for the Free Press. He has covered the justice system since 1999, working for the Brandon Sun and Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 2019. Read more about Dean.
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