An Aamjiwnaang First Nation man Sarnia police charged with manslaughter after another man from the First Nation died in hospital was released on bail Tuesday – for the third time in two months.
Brandon Gilbert, 23, was initially charged with aggravated assault linked to what police said was a fight during an Aug. 28 gathering on Maness Court in the First Nation south of Sarnia. Dalton Bressette was taken to London hospital in critical condition, police said.
Gilbert was granted $4,000 bail on Sept. 2 with a list of rules and a curfew, but Bressette, a 26-year-old father of three, died on Sept. 4 due to his injuries.
Gilbert was rearrested on Sept. 15 and charged with one count of manslaughter, with the aggravated assault charge later dropped. He was granted bail again, this time for $20,000, and placed under house arrest on Sept. 21. Gilbert, though, was arrested a third time on Oct. 21 and charged with failing to comply with a release order.
Following a long bail hearing Tuesday in a Sarnia courtroom, Gilbert was once again granted bail.
“You can be released,” justice of the peace Helen Gale said, although the reasons for her decision and any evidence heard during the bail hearing are covered by publication bans.
During his first two releases, Gilbert was living at his father’s home on the First Nation. His father is still a surety this time, but Gilbert will instead be living with his grandparents at their nearby home.
All four of the family members could potentially be on the hook for some of the $20,000 if Gilbert is caught breaking any of the court-ordered rules. Gilbert is under house arrest unless he’s with one of his sureties, can’t contact a woman who is expected to be a Crown witness, and is banned from weapons except for the purpose of hunting for food.
Police did not say if a weapon was involved in the alleged incident. Police only said at some point an argument broke out between two people that night.
“Which later escalated into a physical altercation requiring bystanders to break up the fight,” police said. “Due to the altercation, (one of the men) in this matter remained unconscious and sustained significant injuries.”
Police said the criminal investigations branch continued the investigation after Bressette died before laying the new charge.
The case was added later this month.