Murder or Manslaughter Charges
Mr. Peters trial and appellate cases have included many murder charges both first degree and second degree.
Mr. Peters has recently:
- Defended successfully a charge of first degree murder commenced against a man who while in a dissociative state smothered his four year old daughter. The Court found the man not guilty by reason of mental disorder and sentenced him to a psychiatric institution;
- Defended a young man from Ontario who had travelled to Squamish to visit his brother. A group of young people got very drunk. Mr. Peters’ client took a kitchen knife to confront a drunken youth who then charged at him, running into the knife. The charge of second degree murder was reduced to manslaughter at the completion of the preliminary inquiry. Mr. Peter’s client eventually plead guilty to manslaughter and received a ten month sentence taking into consideration the time served awaiting trial.