R. v. Kusyj, (1983) 51 A.R. 243 (NWTSC)

JudgeMarshall, J.
CourtSupreme Court of Northwest Territories (Canada)
Case DateNovember 21, 1983
JurisdictionNorthwest Territories
Citations(1983), 51 A.R. 243 (NWTSC)

R. v. Kusyj (1983), 51 A.R. 243 (NWTSC)

MLB headnote and full text

R. v. Kusyj

(No. SC 2730)

Indexed As: R. v. Kusyj

Northwest Territories Supreme Court

Marshall, J.

November 28, 1983.

Summary:

The accused was charged with causing bodily harm with intent to wound, contrary to s. 228 of the Criminal Code of Canada. The accused pleaded self-defence.

The Northwest Territories Supreme Court rejected the defence and convicted the accused of the included offence of assault causing bodily harm, contrary to s. 245 of the Code.

Criminal Law - Topic 232

General principles - Statutory defences or exceptions - Justification of force to prevent crime - A man touched another man on the shoulder in an attempt to break up a fight -The Northwest Territories Supreme Court held that although the touching was an intentional application of force which constituted an assault under s. 244 of the Criminal Code of Canada, the assault was justified under s. 27 of the Code as reasonable force used in an attempt to prevent the commission of an offence - See paragraphs 40 to 42.

Criminal Law - Topic 1349.3

Offences against person and reputation - Causing bodily harm with intent to wound - Intention - An accused was charged with causing bodily harm with intent to wound, contrary to s. 228 of the Criminal Code of Canada - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court stated that although evidence of intent was generally circumstantial, the Crown must prove a specific intent to do the things prescribed in s. 228, and not just an intent to commit a common assault or assault causing bodily harm - See paragraph 27.

Criminal Law - Topic 1349.5

Offences against person and reputation - Causing bodily harm with intent - Defences -Self-defence - An accused pleaded self-defence to a charge of causing bodily harm with intent to wound, contrary to s. 228 of the Criminal Code of Canada - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court stated that s. 34(1) applied where the grievous bodily harm was unintentional and s. 34(2) applied where the accused intended to cause grievous bodily harm - See paragraphs 55-56.

Criminal Law - Topic 1349.5

Offences against person and reputation - Causing bodily harm with intent - Defences -Self-defence - An accused punched a man in the face, knocking him unconscious - The man was allegedly attempting to break up a fight the accused was involved in - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court convicted the accused of assault causing bodily harm and rejected the defence of self-defence, because the accused used more force than was necessary to defend himself - See paragraphs 44 to 57.

Criminal Law - Topic 1422

Offences against person and reputation - Assaults - Defences - Consent - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court discussed whether an assault occurred where two people consented to fight - The court stated that although a person could consent to certain forms of touching, fights intended to "truly injure" were unlawful even if the persons fighting consented - See paragraphs 15 to 18.

Criminal Law - Topic 4459

Procedure - Verdicts - Included offences - Inclusion in bodily harm with intent to wound - Criminal Code of Canada, R.S.C. 1970, c. C-34, s. 228 - The Northwest Territories Supreme Court held that the offence of assault of causing bodily harm (s. 245) was included in the offence of causing bodily harm with intent to wound (s. 228) where the indictment specified that the accused "did cause bodily harm" - See paragraphs 30 to 32.

Cases Noticed:

R. v. Dix, 10 C.C.C.(2d) 324 (Ont. C.A.), not folld. [para. 15].

R. v. Setrum (1976), 32 C.C.C.(2d) 109 (Sask. C.A.), not folld. [para. 16].

R. v. Cowey et al. (1882), 8 Q.B.D. 534, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Donovan (1934), 25 Cr. App. R. 1, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. MacTavish (1972), 4 N.B.R.(2d) 876; 8 C.C.C.(2d) 206 (N.B.C.A.), refd to. [para. 18].

R. v. Leyte, 13 C.C.C.(2d) 458 (Ont. Prov. Ct.), refd to. [para. 21].

R. v. Innes and Brotchie, 7 C.C.C.(2d) 544 (B.C.C.A.), appld. [para. 27].

R. v. Braich et al., [1966] 4 C.C.C. 98 (B.C.C.A.), appld. [para. 30].

R. v. Serafini, [1916] Que. Q.B. 912n, appld. [para. 30].

R. v. Walton (1973), 7 N.B.R.(2d) 32; 14 C.C.C.(2d) 523, dist. [para. 31].

R. v. Cadwallader, [1966] 1 C.C.C. 380, refd to. [para. 35].

R. v. Baxter (1976), 27 C.C.C.(2d) 96 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 35].

R. v. Preston (1953), 17 C.R. 20 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 38].

Woolmington v. D.P.P., [1935] A.C. 462, refd to. [para. 47].

R. v. Courchene (1980), 5 W.C.B. 140 (Man. C.A.), refd to. [para. 40].

Durharme v. Dahms (1980), 25 A.R. 291; 5 W.C.B. 266 (Alta. Q.B.), refd to. [para. 48].

R. v. Nelson (1953), 16 C.R. 407, refd to. [para. 48].

R. v. Hay (1973), 22 C.R.N.S. 191 (Ont. C.A.), refd to. [para. 48].

R. v. Julien, [1969] 2 All E.R. 856, refd to. [para. 50].

R. v. Ogal, 50 C.C.C. 71, refd to. [para. 52].

R. v. Bogue (1976), 30 C.C.C.(2d) 403 (Ont. C.A.), appld. [para. 55].

R. v. Turner (1983), 10 W.C.B. 87 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 56].

Statutes Noticed:

Criminal Code of Canada, R.S.C. 1970, c. C-34, sect. 27 [para. 42]; sect. 34 [para. 33].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Friedland, Gun Control in Canada: Politics and Impact (1981), p. 29 [para. 25].

Holdsworth, A History of English Law, vol. 3, p. 278 [para. 13].

Law Reform Commission, Working Paper 29, pp. 98 [para. 13]; 99 [para. 23].

Mewett and Manning, Criminal Law (1978), pp. 333 [para. 35]; 338 [para. 36].

Smith and Hogan, Criminal Law (4th Ed.), p. 326 [para. 50].

Counsel:

Michael E.N. Zigayer, for the Crown;

J. Edward Richard, for the defence.

This case was heard at Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, on November 21, 1983, before Marshall, J., of the Northwest Territories Supreme Court, who delivered the following judgment on November 28, 1983:

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5 practice notes
  • R. v. Jobidon, (1991) 128 N.R. 321 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • 28 Marzo 1991
    ...1, refd to. [para. 87]. R. v. Squire (1975), 26 C.C.C.(2d) 219, revd. [1977] 2 S.C.R. 13; 10 N.R. 25, refd to. [para. 90]. R. v. Kusyj (1983), 51 A.R. 243, refd to. [para. 91]. R. v. Jerome, [1990] 1 W.W.R. 277 (N.W.T.S.C.), refd to. [para. 91]. R. v. Gur (1986), 71 N.S.R.(2d) 391; 171 A.P.......
  • R. v. Bergner, (1987) 78 A.R. 331 (CA)
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (Alberta)
    • 24 Junio 1987
    ...314 (Ont. C.A.), disagreed with [para. 14]. R. v. Buchanan (1898), 1 C.C.C. 442 (Man. C.A.), disagreed with [para. 15]. R. v. Kusyj (1983), 51 A.R. 243 (N.W.T.S.C.), disagreed with [para. R. v. Setrum (1977), 32 C.C.C.(2d) 109 (Sask. C.A.), refd to. [para. 19]. R. v. Crowse (1982), 39 N.B.R......
  • R. v. Jobidon, (1991) 49 O.A.C. 83 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • 28 Marzo 1991
    ...1, refd to. [para. 87]. R. v. Squire (1975), 26 C.C.C.(2d) 219, revd. [1977] 2 S.C.R. 13; 10 N.R. 25, refd to. [para. 90]. R. v. Kusyj (1983), 51 A.R. 243, refd to. [para. 91]. R. v. Jerome, [1990] 1 W.W.R. 277 (N.W.T.S.C.), refd to. [para. 91]. R. v. Gur (1986), 71 N.S.R.(2d) 391; 171 A.P.......
  • R. v. Carriere, (1987) 76 A.R. 151 (CA)
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (Alberta)
    • 2 Febrero 1987
    ...32 C.C.C.(2d) 109, consd. [paras. 34 to 37]. R. v. Crouse (1982), 39 N.B.R.(2d) 1; 103 A.P.R. 1, refd to. [para. 34]. R. v. Kusyj (1983), 51 A.R. 243 (N.W.T.S.C.), consd. [para. R. v. Gur (1986), 71 N.S.R.(2d) 391; 171 A.P.R. 391, consd. [para. 36]. Statutes Noticed: Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1......
  • Request a trial to view additional results
5 cases
  • R. v. Jobidon, (1991) 128 N.R. 321 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • 28 Marzo 1991
    ...1, refd to. [para. 87]. R. v. Squire (1975), 26 C.C.C.(2d) 219, revd. [1977] 2 S.C.R. 13; 10 N.R. 25, refd to. [para. 90]. R. v. Kusyj (1983), 51 A.R. 243, refd to. [para. 91]. R. v. Jerome, [1990] 1 W.W.R. 277 (N.W.T.S.C.), refd to. [para. 91]. R. v. Gur (1986), 71 N.S.R.(2d) 391; 171 A.P.......
  • R. v. Bergner, (1987) 78 A.R. 331 (CA)
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (Alberta)
    • 24 Junio 1987
    ...314 (Ont. C.A.), disagreed with [para. 14]. R. v. Buchanan (1898), 1 C.C.C. 442 (Man. C.A.), disagreed with [para. 15]. R. v. Kusyj (1983), 51 A.R. 243 (N.W.T.S.C.), disagreed with [para. R. v. Setrum (1977), 32 C.C.C.(2d) 109 (Sask. C.A.), refd to. [para. 19]. R. v. Crowse (1982), 39 N.B.R......
  • R. v. Jobidon, (1991) 49 O.A.C. 83 (SCC)
    • Canada
    • Canada (Federal) Supreme Court (Canada)
    • 28 Marzo 1991
    ...1, refd to. [para. 87]. R. v. Squire (1975), 26 C.C.C.(2d) 219, revd. [1977] 2 S.C.R. 13; 10 N.R. 25, refd to. [para. 90]. R. v. Kusyj (1983), 51 A.R. 243, refd to. [para. 91]. R. v. Jerome, [1990] 1 W.W.R. 277 (N.W.T.S.C.), refd to. [para. 91]. R. v. Gur (1986), 71 N.S.R.(2d) 391; 171 A.P.......
  • R. v. Carriere, (1987) 76 A.R. 151 (CA)
    • Canada
    • Court of Appeal (Alberta)
    • 2 Febrero 1987
    ...32 C.C.C.(2d) 109, consd. [paras. 34 to 37]. R. v. Crouse (1982), 39 N.B.R.(2d) 1; 103 A.P.R. 1, refd to. [para. 34]. R. v. Kusyj (1983), 51 A.R. 243 (N.W.T.S.C.), consd. [para. R. v. Gur (1986), 71 N.S.R.(2d) 391; 171 A.P.R. 391, consd. [para. 36]. Statutes Noticed: Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1......
  • Request a trial to view additional results

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