Report: Four Teens To Stand Trial For Manslaughter In METALLICA-Related Fan Death

February 3, 2007

Duncan Thorne of the Edmonton Journal reports that four youths accused of manslaughter in the beating death of a bus passenger in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada following a dispute over METALLICA must stand trial even though the man started the fight.

Youth court Judge Jack Easton ruled yesterday (Friday, February 2) there's enough evidence for a trial despite there being "absolutely no doubt" that victim Stefan Conley (photo) was the aggressor.

Easton conducted a preliminary inquiry which heard that the youths started hitting Conley after he attacked one of them.

His death happened on a Route 74 bus near South Edmonton Common about 9 p.m. on March 2 last year.

A dispute broke out between Conley and the four boys about the heavy metal band METALLICA and got increasingly heated, a teen witness told the court. Two other teen witnesses have also testified the fight began with a dispute over METALLICA.

One of the boys, whom a girl witness called "METALLICA guy" in a statement to cops, had a METALLICA tattoo on his arm, she said.

"The victim was saying he went to one of (METALLICA's) concerts and he was more of a fan (than the teens) because he was there when they were around, and now they don't tour."

Another passenger testified that one youth insulted Conley, who crossed the aisle and punched him, with the result that all four youths punched back. A further passenger said the teens stopped punching as soon as Conley let go of the youth he was attacking.

Easton said the medical evidence was that Conley died from at least one blow to the head, from a rare, pin-hole-sized tear to an artery near the brain.

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