Good Samaritan acquitted of charge after chasing teen

A citizen can still be a Good Samaritan, with limits, a Calgary jury ruled April 8.

[the accused], 29, was acquitted of a break and enter charge in connection with an incident when he pursued an attacker into a Cochrane home.

But the jury did convict him of mischief to property.

Patrick Fagan, [the accused’s] lawyer was “thrilled” with the decision: it “sends the right message to the community.”

“In spite of how the police feel, people are still entitled to help one another,” Fagan said.

In late June 2006, a teen allegedly struck Perry Burton on the head with a skateboard outside the Cumbrian Arms Neighborhood Pub. Burton was left unconscious and bleeding.

[the accused] and another man ran after the teen, but [the accused] chased him into a nearby home.

The teen locked himself in a bedroom and [the accused] damaged the door. He said in court he didn’t know if the residents were in danger.

“What concerned a lot of people, is the fact that that young person who split the back of that guy’s head open with a skateboard was never charged,” Fagan said. “That’s just frigging absurd.”

Fagan will attempt to get [the accused] an absolute discharge May 14.

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