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Ðneck.€In€defence€to€the€charge,€Mr.€Gunning€denied€that€he€intended€to€kill€Mr.€Charlie.Ð Ô/p)4 ÐAlthough€his€memory€of€the€events€was€sketchy€due€to€his€consumption€of€alcohol,€Mr.Ð d ÐGunning€testified€that,€after€Mr.€Charlie€had€assaulted€him€and€refused€to€leave,€he€hadÐ ü ˜ Ðtaken€out€and€loaded€the€shotgun€so€as€to€intimidate€or€scare€him€into€leaving.€In€theÐ ” 0 Ðcourse€of€confronting€Mr.€Charlie,€the€gun€discharged€accidentally.€Ý ƒ % Ñýª* Å* ݌Р, È ÐŒÝ ÝÌÝ ‚ % Ñýÿ ÝÝ ÝÝ ‚ % Ñýš. Ýà „ àÚ ƒ z Ú2Ú ÚÛ € z Ûà Ü àÝ Ýà œ àMr.€Gunning€was€tried€before€a€judge€and€a€jury.€The€focus€of€the€entire€trialÐ \ ø Ðwas€on€the€question€of€whether€the€shooting€was€an€intentional€killing€or€a€tragic€accident.Ð ô ÐThe€trial€judge€instructed€the€jury€on€the€defences€of€intoxication€and€provocation€butÐ Œ ( Ðrefused€to€leave€the€defence€of€property€for€their€consideration.€The€trial€judge€furtherÐ $ À Ðinstructed€the€jury€that€the€underlying€offence€of€careless€use€of€a€firearm€had€been€madeÐ ¼ X Ðout,€thereby€precluding€any€possible€verdict€of€acquittal.€Later€in€his€charge,€the€trial€judgeÐ T ð Ðpurported€to€correct€the€latter€instruction.€Mr.€Gunning€was€convicted€of€second€degreeÐ ì ˆ Ðmurder.Ý ƒ % Ñýš. µ. ݌Р„ ÐŒÝ ÝÌÝ ‚ % Ñýÿ ÝÝ ÝÝ ‚ % Ñýg2 Ýà „ àÚ ƒ z Ú3Ú ÚÛ € z Ûà Ü àÝ Ýà œ àOn€appeal€to€the€British€Columbia€Court€of€Appeal,€Mr.€Gunning,€amongÐ ´ P Ðother€grounds,€contended€that€the€trial€judge€erred€by€failing€to€instruct€the€jury€on€theÐ L è Ðdefence€of€property.€He€argued€further€that€the€trial€judge€overstepped€his€role€byÐ ä € Ðeffectively€instructing€the€jury€that€there€were€no€defences€to€the€underlying€offence€ofÐ |! " Ðcareless€use€of€a€firearm,€thereby€wrongfully€depriving€him€of€the€only€avenue€to€anÐ #° $ Ðacquittal.Ý ƒ % Ñýg2 ‚2 ݌Р¬$H & ÐŒÝ ÝÌÝ ‚ % Ñýÿ ÝÝ ÝÝ ‚ % ÑýB5 Ýà „ àÚ ƒ z Ú4Ú ÚÛ € z Ûà Ü àÝ Ýà œ à€The€British€Columbia€Court€of€Appeal€rejected€Mr.€Gunningð ðs€arguments€onÐ Ü'x!* Ðthe€basis€that€none€of€the€alleged€errors€would€have€affected€the€verdict€of€guilty€on€theÐ t) #, Ðcharge€of€murder:€(2003),€186€B.C.A.C.€225,€2003€BCCA€477.€In€essence,€the€courtÐ +¨$. Ðreasoned€that,€on€the€evidence,€a€jury€could€not€avoid€the€conclusion€that€the€underlyingÐ ¤,@&0 Ðoffence€of€careless€use€of€a€firearm€had€been€made€out.€The€court€was€further€of€the€viewÐ
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