P.E.I. man charged with attempted murder in relation to Amber Alert incident elects Supreme Court

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GEORGETOWN, P.E.I. — An japanese P.E.I. man charged with a number of offences, together with tried homicide and discharging a firearm, in relation to an Amber Alert incident has elected to have the vast majority of his issues heard in P.E.I. Supreme Courtroom.

Andrew Daniel Blaisdell, 44, appeared in provincial court docket in Georgetown on Aug. 3.

Based on info beforehand launched by the P.E.I. RCMP, on June 20 at 4:30 a.m., an Amber Alert was issued alleging that Blaisdell kidnapped a nine-year-old woman in Eglington. A number of hours later, the woman was discovered protected and Blaisdell was arrested at a residence in Souris. Saltwire has chosen to not establish the nine-year-old woman or her mom. Each are identified to Blaisdell.

Blaisdell was charged with a number of offences involving the woman’s mom. 

Costs

Particularly, Blaisdell, who appeared by video from the Provincial Correctional Centre on Aug. 3, is charged with:

• tried homicide,
• pointing a firearm,
• careless use of a firearm,
• possession of a weapon for a harmful function,
• discharging a firearm with intent,
• utilizing a firearm within the fee of an offence,
• possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm and not using a licence,
• uttering a risk to trigger demise or bodily hurt, and
• possession of a weapon in violation of a court docket order.

With respect to these 9 out of 11 whole costs, Blaisdell’s lawyer Conor Mullin elected to have these issues heard in P.E.I. Supreme Courtroom by a choose and jury.

Mullin additionally elected to have a preliminary inquiry involving three of these costs – tried homicide, discharging a firearm with intent and utilizing a firearm within the fee of an indictable offence.

The aim of a preliminary inquiry listening to is to find out if the Crown has ample proof towards Blaisdell for the issues to proceed to trial.

Mullin mentioned he plans to name witnesses on the preliminary inquiry to talk as to whether Blaisdell possessed a firearm, pointed a firearm and discharged a firearm.

Blaisdell can be charged with breach of probation and theft over $5,000 involving a motorcar in relation to the identical incident. When Mullin tried to elect P.E.I. Supreme Courtroom for the theft over $5,000 allegation, Decide Nancy Orr famous that election could not be made as a consequence of a procedural concern since that cost was on the identical file as a breach of probation allegation that may solely be handled in provincial court docket.

Adjournment

Orr adjourned Blaisdell’s issues to Aug. 24 in Georgetown to set a date for the preliminary inquiry and to kind out the problem involving the file containing the theft over $5,000 and breach of probation costs.

Additionally, on the request of Mullin, Orr scheduled a present trigger listening to for Aug. 8 earlier than a justice of the peace to find out if Blaisdell will probably be launched or stay in custody whereas his issues are earlier than the court docket.

Representing the Crown legal professional’s workplace in court docket was Bridget Morriscey.

Terrence McEachern is a justice reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He could be reached by electronic mail at [email protected] and could be adopted on Twitter @terry_mcn.