Former Canadian soldier guilty in death of colleague in Afghanistan
Posted November 17, 2011 7:50 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A military spokeswoman says a court martial judge has found a former Canadian soldier guilty of two charges in the 2007 shooting death of a fellow reservist in Afghanistan.
Capt. Colette Brake says Matthew Wilcox was found guilty Wednesday of criminal negligence causing death and negligent performance of a military duty.
A lawyer for Wilcox has told the court martial that his client fired his weapon in self-defence as he reacted to what he thought was a threat.
The shot fired by Wilcox of Glace Bay, N.S., killed his best friend, 25-year-old Cpl. Kevin Megeney of Stellarton, N.S.
Brake says proceedings will continue today, including possible statements by Megeney’s parents and other family members.
She says it’s not yet clear when sentencing will occur.
It was the second court martial for the 26-year-old Wilcox.
He was sentenced to four years in prison and ejected from the military after he was found guilty of the two offences following the first court martial in 2009.
That verdict was set aside last year and a new trial ordered after Wilcox’s lawyers argued the makeup of the military jury was unfair.
The panel had four members instead of the usual five because one was excused due to a conflict with work.
The second court martial started in April.
