Overdose likely cause of Brandon man's death, pathologist testifies at trial for alleged drug dealer

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 26, 2025 6:57 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

High amounts of MDA successful a Brandon man's blood apt resulted successful his overdose death, a forensic toxicologist testified Wednesday astatine a trial for the pistillate accused of selling the drugs helium took earlier helium died successful July 2020.

Prosecutors allege Hailey Lepine, 35, sold the drugs that led to the decease of Michael Crede, 30. Lepine is charged with manslaughter, transgression negligence and unlawfully trafficking a controlled substance, with prosecutors alleging she provided the drug knowing it to beryllium a unsafe substance.

She has pleaded not blameworthy and is present connected proceedings successful a Brandon, Man., court.

The 2nd time of the judge-only Court of King's seat proceedings began with grounds from now-retired pathologist Dr. Janetta Rossouw, who wrote Crede's autopsy report.

In the report, Rossouw described his decease arsenic an overdose, saying there was nary different grounds of injury.

Rossouw told the tribunal a toxicology report showed determination was much MDA than determination should beryllium successful the blood, indicating to her it was the origin of death.

"The lone abnormality noted was the toxicology report," Rossouw said. "In the lack of thing else, the logic would dictate that that would beryllium the origin of death."

On Tuesday, the proceedings heard from Crede's girlfriend, who testified that hours aft she and Crede split a gram of MDMA, oregon ecstasy, on July 25, 2020, he began to shingle and foam astatine the rima earlier helium yet became unresponsive.

She testified that Lepine sold her the drugs.

Rossouw told the tribunal Wednesday that blood, urine and oculus fluid were submitted to a toxicologist to trial for  drugs oregon intoxicant successful Crede's system.

A study by toxicologist Dr. Curtis Oleschuk, who besides testified Wednesday, found Crede had a important attraction of MDA successful his strategy that would person been lethal.

MDMA and MDA are related substances wrong the amphetamine family. They tin beryllium taken separately, and the assemblage breaks down MDMA into MDA.

Justice Elliot Leven asked Oleschuk however MDA tin beryllium lethal.

In precocious doses, users whitethorn person convulsions, seizures oregon a heart attack, Oleschuk said.

"All of those are perchance lethal."

He noted determination was nary intoxicant detected, but samples tested affirmative for benzoylecgonine — a byproduct of metabolized cocaine.

Oleschuk did not trial the substance utilized by Crede.

Defence lawyer Andrew Synyshyn questioned whether there was a anticipation Crede could person died from different wellness issue, similar a people occurring bosom attack, but Rossouw told the tribunal determination was nary grounds to enactment that conclusion.

Lepine is expected to attest Thursday earlier closing arguments.