Supreme Court of British Columbia Justice David Masuhara will hear sentencing arguments May 10 in the Ronald Fowler case.
A jury convicted Fowler on March 15 of attempted murder, aggravated assault with a weapon causing bodily harm, and discharging a firearm with intent to endanger the life of another person for shooting his neighbour George Parent on October 14, 2017 near Two Mile.
During the three-week trial last month, both Crown and defence described a scenario that basically amounted to a longstanding feud between the two men.
The Crown argued it came to a head when Parent stopped that day on Fowler’s property to pick up a piece of rope and, seeing his opportunity for revenge, Fowler ambushed Parent firing three shots at close range from a .38 snub-nose revolver.
The defence claimed self-defence saying it was Parent who snuck up on Fowler, pointed a long gun at him and threatened him. Having started carrying a weapon out of fear because of persistent harassment by Parent, the defence argued, Fowler pulled the gun and fired twice.
Joseph McCarthy, who defended Fowler at trial said his client would definitely be appealing the jury’s decision.
The defence is currently seeking a new attorney to conduct the appeal.
“I don’t feel comfortable conducting my own appeals,” McCarthy said. “There are two reasons. One, I think that it’s my case, it’s my argument and I’m sort of married to it; I think a second set of eyes is a very worthwhile thing. And number two, it should always be open to the person appealing to make a competence of counsel argument.”
Attempted murder carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison.
