Moncton casino staff testify Michael Glaspy 'unrepentant' after altercation with manager

Security staff at the Moncton casino testified Michael Glaspy "lunged" at them, was "unrepentant" and had to be placed under citizen's arrest shortly after getting into an altercation with a manager there who later died.

Glaspy is on trial for manslaughter in connection with the death of Rodney Frenette, who was a food and beverage manager at Casino New Brunswick when he was allegedly assaulted on March 4, 2023. He died 24 days later in a Moncton hospital.

On Wednesday, the court heard Frenette was making progress in the hospital until he fell and hit his head on his hospital bed, according to discharge notes from his doctor read in court.

Pierre Raymond, who has been a security supervisor at the casino for 15 years, said he witnessed part of the altercation between Glaspy and Frenette.

His testimony, along with surveillance footage from inside the casino, covered what transpired after the struggle that led to Frenette falling backward and hitting his head on the casino floor.

Raymond testified that while he was trying to break up the fight, he saw Glaspy "give him a punch in the face," referring to Frenette. He is the first witness to say he saw a strike actually connect during the altercation.

After Frenette fell, Raymond said he ran to a security station and called 911.

He then saw Glaspy go to the opposite side of the pub and grab his jacket. Raymond followed him, telling him he could not leave and that he would have to wait for the police to arrive.

• Casino manager on verge of release from hospital when he died, manslaughter trial hears

Raymond said Glaspy was yelling and swearing at him and two other security officers. He said Glaspy was "unrepentant to what he did" as they tried to stop him from leaving. He also testified that Glaspy said Frenette was "faking it."

Raymond said Glaspy then "lunged" at him and the other security officers.

In a surveillance video without sound, a security officer can be seen taking Glaspy to the floor, where he laid face down in the casino lobby as other patrons passed.

A different angle showed Raymond pressing his weight on Glaspy's lower back and then sitting on him. He said it's at that point that he handcuffed him and told him he was being put under citizen's arrest.

He said police eventually arrived and arrested Glaspy.

During cross-examination, defence lawyer Gilles Lemieux pointed to a moment on the video which shows Glaspy being escorted out of the pub before he was pinned down.

He can be seen leaving the scene of the struggle, grabbing his jacket at the other end of the bar and stopping by the bar to pay his tab.

Lemieux pointed this out to Raymond, asking whether security officers were attempting to detain him during this time. Raymond said they weren't.

'No, he jumped me'

He also asked how long Raymond held Glaspy down in the lobby and pointed out that he didn't think Glaspy was able to move his head due to excessive force being placed on his upper back by another officer. Raymond said he sat on him for about 10 minutes, and that he warned the other officer not to put too much pressure on his neck and upper back.

The jury also heard from Const. Cory Quintal, who was the first police officer on the scene and who arrested Glaspy.

He said he could tell Glaspy was intoxicated because he was "wobbling" while walking and had a "strong odour of alcohol" on his breath.

Referring to the notes he took during the arrest that night, he said he recalled telling Glaspy in the back of his police car that he was under arrest for assault. He said Glaspy replied, "No, he jumped me."

When asked by Lemieux in cross-examination whether he inquired about that statement any further, Quintal said no.

The trial is expected to continue Thursday with testimony from more Crown witnesses.