Montreal police officer pleads not guilty to manslaughter in 2016 drug bust death
Bony Jean-Pierre died after being shot in the head with a plastic bullet
A Montreal police officer has pleaded not guilty to a manslaughter charge after a man was killed in Montreal North during a police raid last year.
Christian Gilbert was charged in May in connection with the death of Bony Jean-Pierre, 46, who was shot in the head with a plastic bullet as police were making arrests in a drug bust.
His death contributed to rioting in the Montreal North neighbourhood where the incident happened in April 2016.
Gilbert was not present Thursday morning for the brief court appearance. Along with entering a not-guilty plea, defence lawyer Isabelle Briand told the court her client wants a trial by judge and jury.
Since 1999, only nine incidents that led to the death or injury of civilians by police in Quebec have resulted in charges against an officer.
Gilbert's next court date will be August 29.