A man from Nova Scotia, initially facing manslaughter charges in connection with a fatal assault in Fredericton last year, has now admitted to summary assault. Tyler Totten, a resident of Truro, was among four individuals accused in the death of 41-year-old André Bourgeois from Grand-Digue. Bourgeois passed away on September 27, 2024, following a severe assault in the downtown bar area.
At the time of the incident, Totten was 18 years old and the sole adult implicated in Bourgeois’s demise. The identities of the other three suspects, who were minors during the incident, are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. During a recent court appearance, Totten, represented by defense attorney Brian Munro, opted for trial in provincial court and pleaded guilty to summary assault, a charge with a maximum penalty of less than two years in jail compared to the potential life sentence for manslaughter.
Following Totten’s plea, the Crown withdrew the previous manslaughter charge, and a sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 2 at 9:30, where case details will be presented. Both the defense and the Crown are expected to propose a joint recommendation at that time. The three other accused individuals, aged 16 and 17 at the time of the incident, have elected to be tried by judge and jury and are currently not in custody.
A separate trial involving the three youths is set to commence on September 28, 2026, lasting for twenty days. Initially, the Crown had planned to seek adult sentences for the minors if convicted, but this application has now been retracted.