Mental Illness

HEADS UP- Sweet Jesus, Mother Mary and Joseph....

UPDATE: Andre Noel Denny sentenced to almost 8 years in the murder of Raymond Taavel

The Canadian Press
Published March 24, 2016 - 7:53am
HALIFAX — The mentally ill man who killed a well-known gay rights activist in Halifax became angry before being sentenced to nearly eight years’ incarceration, shoving his translator into a railing and yelling inside the courtroom.
Andre Noel Denny, 36, pleaded guilty to manslaughter last November in the death of 49-year-old Raymond Taavel.
After a tumultuous sentencing hearing Thursday, Nova Scotia Supreme Court Judge Peter Rosinski gave Denny credit for nearly six years already served, leaving him with just under two years in custody followed by three years probation.
On the night of April 16, 2012, Denny had failed to return to a Halifax-area forensic psychiatric facility after receiving a one-hour unescorted pass. According to an agreed statement of facts, Denny got into an argument about seven hours later with Taavel outside a gay bar, punching him in the head and slamming his face into the pavement several times.
Rosinski said Thursday the assault was motivated by “generalized anger,” fuelled in part by Denny’s psychosis and abuse of crack cocaine and alcohol.
“I conclude that beyond a reasonable doubt, before Mr. Denny consumed crack cocaine and alcohol, he had the capacity to reason that such consumption would increase the likelihood of a violent episode on his behalf to the level of a real risk,” he said.
“Mr. Denny had a previous history which supports such inference Nevertheless he chose to consume the crack cocaine and alcohol, and create the immediate conditions that contributed to his fatal attack on Mr. Taavel.”
Rosinski said Denny, an aboriginal from Membertou, N.S., remains a “significant threat to public safety.”
“The risk for further violence by Mr. Denny is significant,” he said in his decision.
Denny clutched a large black feather as he sat surrounded by court sheriffs listening to Rosinski’s decision.
At one point, Denny became angry, yelling that he wanted to take the stand to tell the judge “what the hell’s going on.”
He then forcefully pushed his translator, who had been sitting next to him, and said “I’m sick of you.” The man fell over into a railing.
Denny — wearing a bright blue zip-up sweater and glasses with his hair shaved on the sides of his head and closely cropped on top — was then escorted out of the courtroom.
After a brief recess, Denny’s translator sat in the gallery while Rosinski resumed reading his decision. Denny had another outburst about 45 minutes later.
Defence lawyer David Mahoney blamed Denny’s disruptions in the courtroom on his schizophrenia.
“He has mental illness and sometimes sitting for long periods of time in a situation like this cause a lot of stress,” said Mahoney, noting that Denny was able to calm down after each outburst while the court recessed.
Crown lawyer James Giacomantonio said Denny’s mental illness and the facts of the case made it a unique one.
“It created a complicated question for everybody involved to decide how culpable he is,” said Giacomantonio outside of court. “It was a very complicated thing to decide what an appropriate sentence is and how to treat him as an offender.”
Denny has been in custody at the East Coast Forensic Hospital since his arrest, and Rosinski has recommended that the remainder of his incarceration be served in a secure hospital.
It will be up to a review board to decide where Denny will serve the remainder of his sentence, said Mahoney. He said a hearing on the matter will likely be held early next month.
At a sentencing hearing last month, the Crown asked for a prison term of between seven and 10 years, while the defence asked for five to six years, which equates to time served.
Denny said during the hearing that he was “very remorseful for what happened that night.”
In December, the Nova Scotia government issued an apology to Taavel’s family. Health Minister Leo Glavine said a review identified significant gaps where improvements werehttp://thechronicleherald.ca/canada/1351519-update-andre-noel-denny-sentenced-to-almost-8-years-in-the-murder-of-raymond-taavel

PLS.... GET THE FACTS..... TAKE AWAY..... MI'KMAQ FIRST NATIONS.... MENTAL ILLNESS... GAY PICTURE..... AND PLEASE/PLEASE..PLEASE.... look at the situation- 45 years of so many of us fighting so hard for rights and dignity for Mi'kmaq First Nation, Mental Ilness and Gay equality and respect for human dignity- and r children - who have NO political voice...

PICTURE:

Drunks coming out of a tavern drunk at 2:35 am in THE MORNING..... AND THERE ARE TWO HUGE MEN FIGHTING..... OUTSIDE OF THE BAR.... DRUGS AND BOOZE WALKING AND VICIOUS FIGHTING.....

...2 huge men fighting.... and an 80 pound weakling marches hisself (where the hell are his friends??????? that's what we friends do- NEVA MESS WITH BAR STREET FIGHTS AFTERHOURS...)... RIGHT BETWEEN these 2 huge men..... and gets killed........

... THAT'S THE STORY..... now First Nations, Mental Illness and Gay equality are SIDEBARS.... ONLY...imo.... and over 50 years of fighting for all three rights..... take ur blinders off folks and let the law work and stop sticking in the Gay card on the back of Mi'Kmaq First Nations of Nova Scotia and Mental Illness and its hardships..... and don't even go calling on the medical care (and short $$$$$$ funding) ... and our policing... which is exceptional...imo.

Andre Denny, Alleged Murderer Of Raymond Taavel, Has History Of Mental Illness

· By

· On Top Magazine Staff

· | April 20, 2012

Andre Noel Denny, the man charged with the murder of gay activist Raymond Taavel, has a history of mental illness.

Taavel was beaten to death trying to break up a fight between two men outside Menz, a gay bar located in downtown Halifax, Canada. One of the men, ostensibly Denny, turned on Taavel and viciously beat him. Police arrived at the scene at about 2:40AM and found Taavel lying in the street. Police used dogs to track down Denny to a nearby alley.

The 32-year-old Denny has been charged with second-degree murder.

During a brief court hearing on Wednesday, Denny, a psychiatric patient at a nearly facility, was ordered to undergo a 30-day psychiatric assessment.

Government officials have also launched a probe into the circumstances that led Denny to be temporarily released from the facility.

Lawyer Pavel Boubnov, who has represented Denny in the past, told the National Post that he never should have been released from the hospital.

“In my opinion, the hospital should be a bit more careful with [letting Denny go on unescorted leave].”

Boubnov added that “there is nothing in [Denny's] history, which could be indicative that he would commit a hate crime.”

More than 500 mourners attended a vigil in honor of Taavel's memory on Tuesday.

http://www.ontopmag.com/article/11578/Andre_Denny_Alleged_Murderer_Of_Raymond_Taavel_Has_History_Of_Mental_Illness

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Membertou man accused in gay activist’s death prone to violence, not homophobia: lawyer

HALIFAX (CP) — A mentally ill Membertou man accused of fatally beating a gay activist in Halifax has no history of homophobia but is prone to violence when off his medication and intoxicated, his lawyer said Wednesday after the accused made his first appearance in court.

Andre Noel Denny arrives at Nova Scotia Provincial court in Halifax on Wednesday to be arraigned on charges stemming from the beating death of gay activist Raymond Taavel. The Canadian Press

Defence lawyer Pavel Boubnov also said Andre Noel Denny, who is from Membertou, was diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was a teenager, should not have been granted a one-hour leave from a local psychiatric facility on Monday night — more than five hours before 49-year-old Raymond Taavel was found badly beaten outside a gay bar in downtown Halifax.

Police say Taavel died at the scene around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday after he tried to break up a fight between two men outside Menz Bar, which describes itself as the “Heart of Halifax’s Gay Village.”

Investigators say they were asked to look for Denny just before 9 p.m. when he failed to return to the East Coast Forensic Hospital.

Denny, 32, was formally charged Wednesday with second-degree murder. As sheriffs led him to the courtroom, the stocky man turned his gaze to the flash of cameras and shouted, “Drunken fight.”

“Self-defence,” he said, shrugging. “What can I say?”

He sat silently in leg shackles and looked toward the floor while a few family members watched and wept. He was ordered to undergo a 30-day psychiatric assessment and his case was adjourned until May 17.

Outside the courtroom, Boubnov said Denny “relapses quite often, especially when he takes substances. ... He’s a very, very sick man.”

Investigators have not ruled out the possibility that Taavel’s death was motivated by hate. But Boubnov said his client has no history of hate crimes. “It’s not something which clearly comes from his history,” Boubnov said.

Boubnov said Denny is not violent when he is taking his medication and avoids alcohol, though he said it was his understanding Denny was drinking Monday night.

Carol Millett, a friend and colleague of Taavel’s, rejected the notion that Denny was acting out of self-defence.

“Raymond was all about love and compassion,” Millett said outside court. “He would have hugged Mr. Denny’s family today because that’s the kind of person Raymond was.”

Millett said she wanted to attend Denny’s court appearance out of respect for all gay, lesbian and transgendered people who’ve been the victims of senseless violence.

“That issue cannot be forgotten about because Mr. Denny is under psychiatric assessment. That would do an injustice to all those people who have died already from hate and anger.”

Another of Taavel’s colleagues, Tynette Deveaux, questioned why Denny was released from the psychiatric facility to begin with.

“What he was doing out on an hour-long pass makes no sense to me,” she said.

Boubnov said he was considering asking the court for a hearing to determine if Denny is fit to stand trial. Boubnov said he was also considering a defence strategy aimed at having his client declared “not criminally responsible” for his actions.

Under the Criminal Code, an accused can be declared not criminally responsible if their mental disorder renders them either incapable of appreciating the nature of their actions or unable to understand that their actions were wrong.

In September 2009, Denny was charged with slitting a dog’s throat and uttering threats. In a court decision regarding his fitness to stand trial, the judge reported Denny’s testimony was “sprinkled with delusions.”

“He appears to be able to string together and follow a line of thought, although delusional thinking is apt to insinuate itself at almost any point,” said Judge A. Peter Ross.

In that case, Denny was declared not criminally responsible for his actions.

Earlier Wednesday, Premier Darrell Dexter offered his condolences to Taavel’s family and friends, saying the province has lost a person who devoted his life to fighting discrimination, violence and intolerance.

“It is tragic and so sad that it takes the brutal killing of someone like Raymond to remind us all of what he so clearly understood,” Dexter told the legislature.

“In this house, and in this province, we must all reaffirm our support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community. And we must also reaffirm our support for the many other communities that have been the object of hate and misunderstanding, including those who suffer from serious mental illness.”

The government says it will conduct a review along with the Capital District Health Authority to determine why Denny was temporarily released and whether policies and procedures were followed. It expects to get an update on the progress of the review in 30 days.

Archie Kaiser, a law professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, said he was worried that people could be jumping to conclusions about what happened.

“My major concern in this case is a harsh and punitive reaction that could be damaging to the public’s understanding of mental illness and could set the law and policy in a backward direction,” said Kaiser.

“We have to be careful here not to make assumptions about the system and the individual that are unwarranted.”

Kaiser said it would be wrong to assume that Denny was not held accountable for his actions simply because he was declared not criminally responsible in previous cases.

The special verdict triggers an ongoing assessment process by the Criminal Code Review Board that is designed to seek rehabilitation and reintegration into society while ensuring protection of the public. The board can provide a range of disposition orders, including absolute discharges, conditional discharges or detainment in a secure forensic hospital.

http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2012-04-18/article-2958432/Membertou-man-accused-in-gay-activists-death-prone-to-violence-not-homophobia-lawyer/1

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Man charged with killing Taavel in court on Sept. 20

By The Canadian Press The case of a man charged with second-degree murder in the beating death of a prominent activist in Halifax's gay community has been rescheduled.

Nova Scotia's Public Prosecution Service says Andre Noel Denny will appear in Halifax provincial court on Sept. 20 with his new lawyer, Don Murray.

Public Prosecution Service spokeswoman Chris Hansen says the case of the 33-year-old Denny, who is charged in the death of Raymond Taavel, was rescheduled last week.

During a court appearance in June, both the Crown and defence agreed on an extension of a psychiatric assessment of Denny, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager.

The extension was granted because Toronto-based psychiatrist Hy Bloom needed more time to go over Denny's medical records.

Hansen says Denny's assessment is not complete, but anticipates it will be for the September court date.

Denny was released by the East Coast Forensic Hospital on a one-hour pass on April 16.

The body of the 49-year-old Taavel was found hours later outside a downtown bar.

The provincial government is reviewing the circumstances around Denny's release from the hospital.

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Raymond Taavel Death: Andre Noel Denny, Accused In Killing, Is Prone To Violence, Not Homophobia, Says Lawyer

CP | By Michael MacDonald and Melanie Patten, The Canadian Press

Posted: 04/18/2012 9:49 am EDT Updated: 06/18/2012 5:12 am EDT

·HALIFAX - A mentally ill man accused of fatally beating a gay activist in Halifax has no history of homophobia but is prone to violence when off his medication and intoxicated, his lawyer said Wednesday after the accused made his first appearance in court.

Defence lawyer Pavel Boubnov also said Andre Noel Denny, diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was a teenager, should not have been granted a one-hour leave from a local psychiatric facility on Monday night — more than five hours before 49-year-old Raymond Taavel was found badly beaten outside a gay bar in downtown Halifax.

Police say Taavel died at the scene around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday after he tried to break up a fight between two men outside Menz Bar, which describes itself as the "Heart of Halifax's Gay Village."

Investigators say they were asked to look for Denny just before 9 p.m. when he failed to return to the East Coast Forensic Hospital.

Denny, 32, was formally charged Wednesday with second-degree murder. As sheriffs led him to the courtroom, the stocky man turned his gaze to the flash of cameras and shouted, "Drunken fight."

"Self-defence," he said, shrugging. "What can I say?"

Outside the courtroom, Boubnov said Denny "relapses quite often, especially when he takes substances. ... He's a very, very sick man."

Investigators have not ruled out the possibility that Taavel's death was motivated by hate. But Boubnov said his client has no history of hate crimes. "It's not something which clearly comes from his history," Boubnov said.

Boubnov said Denny is not violent when he is taking his medication and avoids alcohol, though he said it was his understanding Denny was drinking Monday night.

Carol Millett, a friend and colleague of Taavel's, rejected the notion that Denny was acting out of self-defence.

"Raymond was all about love and compassion," Millett said outside court. "He would have hugged Mr. Denny's family today because that's the kind of person Raymond was."

Millett said she wanted to attend Denny's court appearance out of respect for all gay, lesbian and transgendered people who've been the victims of senseless violence.

"That issue cannot be forgotten about because Mr. Denny is under psychiatric assessment. That would do an injustice to all those people who have died already from hate and anger."

Another of Taavel's colleagues, Tynette Deveaux, questioned why Denny was released from the psychiatric facility to begin with.

"What he was doing out on an hour-long pass makes no sense to me," she said.

In September 2009, Denny was charged with slitting a dog's throat and uttering threats. In a court decision regarding his fitness to stand trial, the judge reported Denny's testimony was "sprinkled with delusions."

"He appears to be able to string together and follow a line of thought, although delusional thinking is apt to insinuate itself at almost any point," said Judge A. Peter Ross.

In that case, Denny was declared not criminally responsible for his actions.

Earlier Wednesday, Premier Darrell Dexter offered his condolences to Taavel's family and friends, saying the province has lost a person who devoted his life to fighting discrimination, violence and intolerance.

"It is tragic and so sad that it takes the brutal killing of someone like Raymond to remind us all of what he so clearly understood," Dexter told the legislature.

"In this house, and in this province, we must all reaffirm our support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community. And we must also reaffirm our support for the many other communities that have been the object of hate and misunderstanding, including those who suffer from serious mental illness."

Archie Kaiser, a law professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, said he was worried that people could be jumping to conclusions about what happened.

"My major concern in this case is a harsh and punitive reaction that could be damaging to the public's understanding of mental illness and could set the law and policy in a backward direction," said Kaiser.

"We have to be careful here not to make assumptions about the system and the individual that are unwarranted."

Kaiser said it would be wrong to assume that Denny was not held accountable for his actions simply because he was declared not criminally responsible in previous cases.

"By no means is the accused exempt from accountability," said Kaiser. "It just means he or she is not punished as if he or she were a regular offender. The state still retains control over the individual, sometimes for a very extended period and with quite rigid ways of controlling the accused's movements or confining them."

The East Coast Forensic Hospital, which is attached to Nova Scotia's largest provincial jail, typically includes offenders from the jail who require attention, as well as patients found not fit to stand trial and others found not criminally responsible for their actions.

The review board typically includes at least one lawyer, a psychiatrist and a lay person. It decides on what level of community access patients should have, if at all, said Aileen Brunet, the hospital's clinical director.

At a minimum, board hearings are held every year, she said.

"Our focus is on recovery and community reintegration," she said. "People who are going in and out of the building are passing under the eyes of clinical staff repeatedly."

Typically, about three-quarters of the hospital's 80 beds are occupied, and at least three-quarters of those patients are given daily passes in the community, Brunet said.

On any given week, it's not unusual for some offenders to show up late, she said.

"It certainly can happen," she said. "Particularly for those taking buses."

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/04/18/raymond-taavel_n_1434154.html

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Raymond Taavel -90lbs, and his drunk buddies came out of a bar 2:30am in am - and buddies let Raymond step in2 the nightmare of trying 2 stop 2 huge monster men fighting - instead of calling cops- this has 2 be death by misadventure- feel bad 4 Taavel's spouse Darren... and pray he was NOT there, and therefore, did NOT stop a foolish drunk against 2 6'5" monsters fighting

Mental Illness - the invisible disability- Mi'kmaq- and Gays - drunken scene outside a bar at 2:30 am in the morning- the nightmare and the reality check..... Protect Denny and stop making Taavel this good hero..... this reeks of misadventure.....imho

COMMENT: The real story 2 me that that Raymond Taavel, all of 90 pounds, drunk at 2:30am coming out of a bar with friends sees 2 huge men fighting horribly.... and happily decides 2 step in and make peace???? ...without calling the cops?? Come on...

DRUNK- 2 HUGE STRANGERS FIGHTING- 2:30AM IN THE MORNING- INTERFERES INSTEAD OF CALLING THE COPS....????

What do u think would happen.... this has nightmare on Monday morning on Gottigen Street written all over.... stop making Raymond Taavel the hero and Andre Noel Denny the monster- it's insulting!

A drunk 90 pound weakling coming out of a bar at 2:30 am THEN.... saunders over and interferes by stepping in2 the middle of a violent fight of 2 huge males fighting hard and mean??? WHAT DID U ALL EXPECT 2 HAPPEN?..... seriously.... it's horrid.... but come on drunk dude steps in the middle of a fight at 2:30 in the morning....

AND BY THE BY..... tears and prayers for darren lewis- raymond taaval's spouse

Denny’s murder trial to begin next September

September 5, 2013 - 1:06pm By STEVE BRUCE Court Reporter

Andre Noel Denny will go on trial next September for second-degree murder in the April 2012 death of Halifax gay rights activist Raymond Taavel. (CHRISTIAN LAFORCE / Staff / File)

A Cape Breton man will stand trial a year from now on a charge of second-degree murder.

Andre Noel Denny, 34, of Membertou is accused of beating Halifax gay rights activist Raymond Taavel to death last year.

Denny appeared in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Halifax with lawyer Don Murray on Thursday to set dates for a jury trial.

Justice John Murphy scheduled the hearing for eight weeks beginning Sept. 2, 2014.

Denny will remain in custody at the East Coast Forensic Hospital in Dartmouth.

Taavel, 49, died after an altercation outside Menz Bar on Gottingen Street in Halifax in the early morning hours of April 17, 2012.

Denny, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, was being treated at the forensic hospital at the time after being found not criminally responsible for an assault causing bodily harm in Cape Breton. He had been granted a one-hour unescorted pass from the facility the night before but didn’t return.

After the killing, the province launched a review of the circumstances of Denny’s release and the forensic hospital’s release procedures and policies. Last September, the province and Capital Health released a report outlining 18 steps to tighten up community access rules for patients.

Patients who’ve been found not criminally responsible are no longer allowed indirect supervision without first going through a Criminal Code Review Board hearing, which happens 45 days after their admission. The hospital also has hired a monitor to check on patients who are out on passes or living in the community.

Taavel’s family is suing Capital Health, the provincial attorney general and Denny, claiming each is “jointly and severally liable for the death of Raymond.” The family is seeking financial compensation for funeral costs, travel expenses, future income that Taavel would have earned and the loss of his “guidance, care and companionship.”

Darren Lewis, Taavel’s common-law partner, attended Thursday’s proceeding. Denny’s mother was also in the gallery.

(sbruce@herald.ca)

http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/1152285-denny-s-murder-trial-to-begin-next-september

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2:30am drunk 90lb guy interfered with 2 fighting giants- Court sees video of the last moments of gay activist b4 killed outside Halifax bar http://natpo.st/1PSZj5b

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Video shows moments before Raymond Taavel killed outside Halifax bar

Andre Noel Denny pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2012 death of gay rights activist.

By: Michael MacDonald The Canadian Press Published on Mon Feb 22 2016

HALIFAX — The partner of a well-known gay rights activist beaten to death in Halifax four years ago said he collapsed on the spot when police informed him of Raymond Taavel's death, and was in physical pain for months afterwards.

Darren Lewis' victim impact statement was read into the record during a sentencing hearing for Andre Noel Denny in Nova Scotia Supreme Court Monday. Denny pleaded guilty to manslaughter in November.

Lewis' statement, read in court by Crown attorney James Giacomantonio, described how Lewis crumpled to the floor when police came to the apartment he shared with Taavel and told him his partner was the victim of a homicide.

"In that very instant, my vision blurred, my chest tightened, my breath left me," said Lewis in the statement.

"All I could hear was my heart racing in my ears ... Any semblance of rational thought ceased as I struggled to breathe and tried to make myself wake up from the worst nightmare I had ever had."

Lewis described the physical pain he suffered and the "waves of numbing, desperate nothingness" in the months that followed.

He said he and Taavel had spent 10 years together and were planning on buying a house.

Lewis said the intense sense of loss left him incapable of doing his job as a chef and left him feeling distant from his friends and family.

"Nothing made sense any longer ... I had thoughts of anger, vengeance and despair."

An agreed statement of facts says Denny was impaired by psychosis when he got into an argument with Taavel outside a gay bar, punched him in the head and slammed his face into the pavement.

The statement says Denny failed to return to a Halifax-area forensic psychiatric facility after receiving a one-hour unescorted pass April 16, 2012.

The Crown prosecutor says he will seek a prison sentence of more than six years, while the defence says it will seek a penalty of time served as Denny has been in custody since April 2012.

Judge Peter Rosinski said he will not hand down a sentence at Monday's hearing but instead reserve his decision.

Denny held an eagle feather and listened intently during the hearing. Dressed in a black leather jacket and jeans, he appeared relaxed and did not display any emotion when the victim impact statements were introduced.

In addition to Lewis' statement, Giacomantonio read statements from Taavel's brother, Andre, and employer, Barry Boyce of the former Shambhala Sun magazine.

Taavel's brother Andre said he's still having trouble comprehending the tragedy.

"It's almost as if my mind won't take me there," his statement said.

Andre Taavel's statement, like the other two, spoke of how Raymond Taavel was well known for his kind disposition, constant smile and big hugs.

"On the day we received the news of Raymond's homicide, a piece of us all died that day. I asked myself how such a hug-loving guy die in such a violent manner -- the opposite of what he stood for."

Andre Taavel said his wife and 74-year-old mother have been devastated by the killing.

"When it comes to my mother, I feel as if I'm watching a woman shrink away to skin and bone. The stress and grief have stripped her of many good years of living."

Andre Taavel's statement also spoke about his feelings for Denny, saying he felt nothing but "numbness and indifference."

"I basically couldn't care less about him. His act of evilness is overshadowed by the many stories of people whose lives were changed in a positive way after meeting Raymond. The outpouring of love and support from the community Raymond tried so hard to unite has made us very proud."

A YouTube video shown at Taavel's funeral was played for the court, which included national and local media coverage of the crime and several interviews with Taavel's friends and colleagues.

The 2012 video, called "Remembering Raymond Taavel," also includes footage from the day hundreds of people gathered on Halifax's Gottingen Street to pay tribute to Taavel.

The nine-minute video shows scores of people holding the edges of a massive rainbow flag while others shield candles from the wind.

Those appearing on the video speak of Taavel's hugs, his humility and his local and national work against homophobia. There are personal tributes from high school students, the local member of Parliament and a comment from a co-worker who said, "I can still hear his smile over the phone."

The court was also shown grainy black and white surveillance video footage from inside the Menz Bar, where Taavel and Denny met. The video shows Taavel arriving around 2 a.m. and meeting three other men.

About 20 minutes in, Denny appears and joins the men at the back of the room. After a few minutes, he leaves with one of the men, appearing to help him out of the bar.

http://www.metronews.ca/news/canada/2016/02/22/sentencing-hearing-for-man-who-pleaded-guilty-to-killing-gay-rights-activist.html

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Andre Noel Denny to stand trial in Taavel beating death

Andre Noel Denny arrives at Nova Scotia Provincial court to be arraigned on charges steaming from the beating death of gay activist Raymond Taavel Halifax, N.S., on April 18, 2012.(Mike Dembeck / THE CANADIAN PRES)

·
The Canadian Press
Published Tuesday, July 9, 2013 7:23AM EDT

HALIFAX -- The lawyer for a man accused in the fatal beating of Halifax gay rights activist Raymond Taavel says his client will stand trial.

Donald Murray says Andre Noel Denny, who is charged with second-degree murder, will stand trial in Nova Scotia Supreme Court.

Murray said outside provincial court that the defence has agreed to commit it to trial but wants to hear from witnesses at Denny's preliminary inquiry, which got underway today.

A publication ban has been placed on evidence presented during the hearings.

Three days have been set aside.

Taavel was beaten to death when he tried to break up an early-morning fight between two men outside a bar on Gottingen Street on April 17th, 2012.

Hours before Taavel's death, Denny had been released by the East Coast Forensic Hospital on an unsupervised one-hour pass, but he failed to return.

He was later arrested.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/andre-noel-denny-to-stand-trial-in-taavel-beating-death-1.1359296

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Statement of Facts in Andre Noel Denny trial -...

www.scribd.com/doc/289262065/Statement-of-Facts...

Statement of Facts in Andre Noel Denny trial - Free download as Word Doc (.doc / .docx), PDF File (.pdf), Text file (.txt) or read online for free. Andre Noel Denny ...

CANADAC.R. No. 417612PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NOVA SCOTIA

Between:HER MAJEST THE !UEEN" #n$ "ANDRE NOE% DENNA&REED STATEMENT OF FACTS

On April 16, 2012, Mr. Andre Denny was under the jurisdiction of the Nova cotia !eview "oardand residin# at the $ast %oast &orensic 'ospital. At ()*0 p.+. on that day, he, alon# with twoother residents of the $ast %oast &orensic 'ospital, left the facility without per+ission. hatevenin#, Mr. Denny and the two other residents, consu+ed so+e alcohol and crac- cocaine.Mr. Denny separated fro+ his friends. hey noted that his ehaviour had eco+e stran#e, ashe was increasin#ly loud and +a-in# ani+al noises. "etween appro/i+ately 1)*0 a.+. and 2)00 a.+. on April 1(, 2012, Mr. Denny proceeded yhi+self to the ottin#en treet area in 'alifa/. 'e entered the Men "ar, which, in addition tothe artender, was inhaited y four patrons) Mr. !ay+ond aavel, Mr. Allan Mc%onnell, Mr.effrey 3ieratore and Mr. re#ory 'ilt. Mr. Denny sat and socialied with the +en for a few+inutes efore the ar closed.Mr. Denny left the Men "ar and went to the residence of Mr. 'ilt which was located just a few+inutes away fro+ the ar. 'e was forcefully e/pelled fro+ the residence shortly after enterin#it. Mr. Denny then i++ediately returned to the area of the Men "ar where Mr. Mc%onnell andMr. aavel were standin# outside.Mr. Denny eca+e en#a#ed in an ar#u+ent with the pair. 'e en#a#ed in a physical altercationwith Mr. Mc%onnell. 'e 4uic-ly forced the retreat of Mr. Mc%onnell. Mr. Denny then turned hisattention to Mr. aavel. 'e punched Mr. aavel two ti+es in the head and -noc-ed hi+ to the#round. Once on the #round, Mr. Denny -ic-ed Mr. aavel in the head and repeatedly hit hisface into the pave+ent. Mr. aavel was rendered +otionless and apparently unconscious. Mr.Denny proceeded to approach Mr. Mc%onnell. As Mr. Denny e#an to approach Mr.Mc%onnell, Mr. Mc%onnell 4uic-ly retreated. Mr. Denny returned to the +otionless and apparently unconscious Mr. aavel who was lyin# inthe +iddle of the street. Mr. Denny proceeded to forcefully hit the face of Mr. aavel into thepave+ent an additional four or five ti+es.

he driver of a vehicle discovered Mr. aavel5s +otionless ody and 11 was called atappro/i+ately 2)* a.+. At appro/i+ately *)00 a.+, Mr. Denny was found y a police servicedo# hidin# in a neary alleyway.Mr. aavel was pronounced dead at 2)7 a.+. on April 1(, 2012. he cause of death wasdeter+ined to e lunt force trau+a to the head, associated with alcohol and cocaineinto/ication and an underlyin# heart defect, which were contriutin# causes to his death.Mr. Denny was i+paired in ter+s of his +ental state at the ti+e of the incident y reason of psychosis as well as the acceleration and disinhiition caused y polysustance into/ication.

DATED

this day of Nove+er, 2018. 9999999999999999999999999999999999999999 Mr. David MahoneyMr. Mar- 'eere+a%ounsel for Mr. Andre Noel Denny%ounsel for 'er Majesty the :ueen

DATED

this day of Nove+er, 2018. 9999999999999999999999999999999999999999 Mr. David MahoneyMr. Mar- 'eere+a%ounsel for Mr. Andre Noel Denny%ounsel for 'er Majesty the :ueen 9999999999999999999999999999999999999999 Ms. %onnie Mac;ssacMr. a+es iaco+antonio%ounsel for Mr. Andre Noel Denny%ounsel for 'er Majesty the :ueen

http://www.scribd.com/doc/289262065/Statement-of-Facts-in-Andre-Noel-Denny-trial#scribd

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New details emerge in Taavel murder

UPDATE, APR 19, 8:30PM - The person who was at Menz Bar on the night of the murder of Raymond Taavel, who wishes to only be known as Frank, tells Xtra that at roughly 2:30 am the morning Taavel was murdered, he and a friend of his, as well as Taavel and an as-of-yet unknown fourth person, left Menz Bar. Frank tells Xtra that he was never introduced to this fourth person, and that the individual might be closeted.

Frank tells Xtra that the accused, Andre Noel Denny, was outside the establishment when they left, and that he was spouting homophobic statements, calling them faggots. Frank also says that he and his friend left after Taavel and the fourth unknown person told them they would be okay as they waited for a cab. Frank says that neither he, nor his friend, were present when the attack against Taavel and the unknown person happened.

Xtra asked Halifax Regional Police spokesperson Brian Palmeter if the aforementioned unknown fourth person is the same one who was attacked along with Taavel.

“With regards into the investigation into the murder of Mr Taavel, we have identified everybody that was in the bar prior to the altercation outside and we have spoken to all those individuals," he says. "We have identified the other man who was involved in the initial disturbance outside on the street, and we have spoken with him.”

Denny has been charged with second-degree murder and breach of probation in connection with Taavel's death. He is undergoing a 30-day psychological evaluation to see if he is fit for trial. Denny is represented by lawyer Pavel Boubnob.

“When the matter comes back to court, the case may have been assigned to a specific prosecutor,” says Chris Hansen at the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service.

People in the gay community are rallying to help pay homage to Taavel, and to provide financial assistance for his final costs. Kirk Furlotte, acting spokesperson for Nova Scotia Rainbow Action Project, says Doug Melanson from Menz and Mollyz Bar is setting up a trust fund for Taavel’s family to help with expenses.

“We did discuss whether there would be anything more permanent, such as a scholarship, but the family is focusing on more immediate concerns,” says Furlotte.

A fundraiser is scheduled at the bar this Sunday, April 22. Local drag performers and musicians have signed on to perform that night. More and events are planned, and many of them listed on GayHalifax. There is also a Facebook page to help with the fundraising.

UPDATE APRIL 12:38 EDT: A Halifax gay man, who wishes to be identified only as Frank, was at Menz Bar the evening that Halifax gay activist Raymond Taavel was killed.

Frank says he and a friend, as well as Taavel and another man, were the only patrons at the bar in the minutes before the attack.

“My friend and I put some coins on the jukebox, and we met up with two other people at the bar,” Frank says. “We had some drinks, did some dancing. Everything was relaxed.”

Menz Bar owner Doug Melanson confirms Frank’s account.

“They were buying rounds, and everyone was having fun,” he says.

Frank says he will not divulge the name of his friend, as he wishes to protect the friend's privacy. As for the other patron, Taavel’s companion, Frank says they were never introduced. There is some indication that Taavel’s companion is closeted.

According to Frank and Melanson, at 2:15am a man came into the bar and asked for a drink. Melanson says the bartender refused service because the bar was closed. He says the bartender “got a weird vibe” from the man and asked him to leave.

Ten minutes later, Frank and his friend, as well as Taavel and his drinking companion, left the bar, leaving the bartender to close and lock up. That’s when the four men encountered the same man once again.

“He was talking about really graphic ways of having sex with other men and calling people faggots,” Frank says. “He was really hostile and aggressive. I left to go to my friend’s house, while my friend waited with [Raymond and the other patron] in front of the bar to make sure he got a cab, and then he came and met me at his place. I don’t know what happened between then and the time Raymond passed away.”

According to Melanson, there was only a 10-minute span between the time the patrons left his bar and the time police arrived at the scene.

UPDATE APRIL 17 15:59 EDT: CBC News has an eyewitness account of the attack on Raymond Taavel. Andre Noel Denny, 32, was arrested in connection with Taavel's death and is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.

UPDATE APRIL 17 11:49AM EDT: CTV news reports that the man held in connection with Taavel's murder was absent from the East Coast Forensic Hospital. CBC News reports further details. Halifax Regional Police issues presser. Shambhala SunSpace, Taavel's employer, issues presser.

UPDATE APRIL 17 11:29AM EDT: A vigil for Raymond Taavel, the gay man murdered this morning in Halifax, is scheduled at the scene of the attack, at Menz Bar in Halifax, for tonight at 7pm local time. Follow it on Facebook. And at another Facebook page here.

"It’s incalculable, he was such a beautiful spirit," says Halifax activist Hugo Dann. "Anyone who got involved in gay rights in Halifax knew Raymond. Raymond took his knocks, but he never stopped smiling and he never failed in kindness. That’s the loss that will stick with me because he was unfailingly kind . . . I think people will want to go out, to be together. I don’t think our community ever hides."

"I think I have the same sense of shock as everyone else who is connected to the community," says Kevin Kindred, of the Nova Scoatia Rainbow Action Project. "Raymond was well known on a personal level by many of us, and well respected by many people in the community.

"It’s hard to say what the impact will be," he adds. "I think people will exercise caution when they go out. At the same time the community tends to respond to these things viscerally, and people will want to claim back their power and claim back their rights to feel safe on the streets."

APRIL 9:30AM EDT – XTRA.CA STAFF: The Halifax Chronicle-Herald reports this morning that a well-known gay activist and former editor of Halifax gay paper Wayves was killed last night.

According to the Chronicle, police were called to an area near gay bar Menz & Mollyz in Halifax at about 2:30 this morning. There they found Raymond Taavel injured and bleeding. He died there. A man was seen fleeing the scene. Police arrested a 32-year-old man a short time later in connection with Taavel’s death.

Read Xtra blooger Simon Thibault's first reaction.

Read a profile of Taavel at Gay Halifax.

And another story on his murder at Open File.

Another update, including video, from CTV.

In the May 2010 issue of Wayves, Taavel wrote about being the victim of a previous assault.

"As I chowed down on my pizza slice another guy who seemed to be accompanying the one I was chatting with suddenly, caustically, asked me if I’m gay," Taavel wrote. "I gave a matter-of-fact 'yes' shrugging my shoulders as if to say '… and your point is?' He retorted with, 'Well you’re too gay for me'—or something to that effect—and before I knew it I was on the receiving end of a backhand to the head"

Visit Wayves here.

http://www.dailyxtra.com/canada/news-and-ideas/news/new-details-emerge-in-taavel-murder-51375

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Nova Scotia health minister issues apology in the...

www.ctvnews.ca/...n-s-death-of-gay-rights-activist-1.2693415

· http://ri.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrBT8qzn8tW_NUACdJXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTBydDI5cXVuBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM2BHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--/RV=2/RE=1456214067/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2f98.139.21.31%2fsearch%2fsrpcache%3fp%3dAndre%2bNoel%2bDenny%26ei%3dUTF-8%26src%3dwww.CrazyBrowser.com%26u%3dhttp%3a%2f%2fcc.bingj.com%2fcache.aspx%3fq%3dAndre%2bNoel%2bDenny%26d%3d4994571734549624%26mkt%3den-US%26setlang%3den-US%26w%3dPg9ifKPHRSffRN9BAinq-3WVl_DsdGzS%26icp%3d1%26.intl%3dus%26sig%3dB9ZxVQXqKef31Pphf.5SCg--/RK=0/RS=LHUHnqhdiAdme21rsN0

Dec 08, 2015 · Andre Noel Denny appears in Halifax provincial court on February 19, 2013. (CTV Atlantic)

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Man pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of Halifax gay ...

www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/11/10/man-pleads-guilty...

· Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.

Andre Noel Denny has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the beating death of Halifax gay rights activist Raymond Taavel more than three years ago.

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Mort violente d'un militant gai à Halifax : audience de détermination de la peine pour l'accusé

Andre Noel Denny Photo : PC/Mike Dembeck

Il y a presque que quatre ans que le militant pour les droits des gais Raymond Taavel a été battu à mort à la sortie d'un bar, à Halifax. L'accusé, Andre Denny, pourrait connaître la durée de sa peine aujourd'hui. Une audience de détermination de sa peine a commencé, en cour, à Halifax.

La nuit où Raymond Taavel a été tué, l'accusé devait se trouver à l'hôpital psychiatrique East Coast, à Dartmouth, où il avait été envoyé après avoir été jugé non criminellement responsable d'une violente agression au Cap-Breton, d'où il est originaire.

Andre Denny avait obtenu une sortie autorisée d'une heure seulement de l'hôpital, pour qu'il puisse fumer une cigarette sur le terrain de l'établissement. Lui et deux autres hommes ne sont pas revenus à l'hôpital, comme prévu.

CANADA: True Patriot Love Foundation launches Highway of Heroes concert tour

Monday, February 22, 2016

UPDATE: Andre Noel Denny sentenced to almost 8 years in the murder of Raymond Taavel

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