A guilty verdict has been handed down to 28-year-old Richard Valiquette, who was accused of criminal negligence causing the death of 17-year-old Gavin Adams in Saint John more than three years ago.
Richard Valiquette has been found guilty of criminal negligence causing death.
— Laura Lyall (@LauraLyall) February 20, 2017
The trial heard that Adams took four tabs of the psychedelic drug 25-i at Valiquette’s apartment back in December of 2013 and two days later Adams’ body was found frozen to death in the area of Chesley Drive and Hilyard Street.
Sitting on one side of the courtroom was Richard Valiquette and his supporters, while Gavin Adams’ family sat on the other side. Valiquette appeared to be unflinching after hearing the verdict but his longtime girlfriend, who testified at the trial, wept on his shoulder.
David Adams is Gavin’s father and he says this has been like nothing else you can imagine:
“There’s no expectations for the future, you just deal with things as they come and I think in your mind you have what Gavin would have wanted us to do and what would be good for society as a while and that’s the actions that we’re focused on.”
He pointed to marijuana and alcohol as the types of substances teens used to experiment with.
“Unfortunately now substances that are made in laboratories are replacing these substances because they’re a lot cheaper, in many cases they’re way more potent but…they’re lethal and they’re killing kids all the time.”
Justice Fred Ferguson’s judgement is 164 pages, says it took him a couple of months to complete.
— Laura Lyall (@LauraLyall) February 20, 2017
In Justice Fred Ferguson’s decision, he says that the elements of criminal negligence causing death in this case that needed to be met are that 1) Valiquette supplied Adams with a drug described as being not for human consumption 2) Valiquette’s conduct showed ‘wanton and reckless’ disregard for Adams’ life and safety and 3) that by his actions Valiquette caused Adams’ death.
“Mr. Valiquette’s conduct facilitiated and implicitly encouraged high-risk behaviour by Gavin Adams and Adrian Goguen,” the decision reads.
“Despite the reality that providing highly potent and often dangerous, even life threatening drugs to others is generally viewed by those inside the drug culture as simply a right implicitly accorded to those in a free market zone devoid of rules and regulations, it is not so.”
You can read his full decision below.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 12 at 9:30am.
