Youth accused of premeditated murder released

The family of a man who was shot and whose alleged murderer has just escaped justice in a rare outcome in court is pleading with those with information about the crime to help revive the investigation.

“My nephew was killed, his 10-year-old daughter has to live without her father, and no one will pay for this? There must be justice, ”dropped Valérie Curotte, aunt of James Richard Curotte.

Early in the morning of August 22, 2020, the 30-year-old man was riddled with bullets and small pellets in Parc de la Commune, in Châteauguay.

Shortly after, Justin Alexandre Moore was charged with premeditated murder. But the 23-year-old man was recently released from the charge against him, the most serious in the Criminal Code.

This is one of the rarest findings for such an accusation, to the point where no stakeholder consulted by The newspaper can’t remember a similar case.

Judge Marie-Chantal Doucet, of the Court of Quebec, indeed held that the evidence was “insufficient” to summon the accused to trial at the end of the preliminary investigation, at the Salaberry-de-Valleyfield courthouse.

This is a judicial step that allows a magistrate to assess whether, in light of the prosecution’s evidence, it is relevant and legitimate to hold a trial.

Faulty memories

Although the evidence reveals that the accused showed up at the park with the victim moments before the tragedy, there is no evidence that Moore was the one who fired, explained the judge.

The weapons used to kill James Richard Curotte were never found and no trace of the accused’s DNA was found on the victim’s body or clothing.

“The accused does not have exclusive access to the park. The crime scene leaves no information allowing [le] link to the murder, ”analyzed the judge.

In addition, at the preliminary investigation, many witnesses had difficulty remembering details that occurred the day before the tragedy, when the accused and the victim spoke to each other at a party.

One struggled to recognize people “whom he nevertheless knows” as well as text messages exchanged with the accused, one testified with “unease and hesitation”, and another was “vague and imprecise”, which made the judge “perplexed”.

“People who know something, you must speak! We really wonder who they are protecting in there, ”launched the 60-year-old woman, who considers her nephew as her own son since she had custody of him for many years.

Accused again?

M^me Curotte also demands that the Sûreté du Québec continue the investigation. Should the police get their hands on more evidence, it is not impossible that Moore could be charged again for this crime.

Indeed, the accused was released from the charge at the preliminary inquiry stage, and not acquitted, said the Crown prosecutor in the file, Me Hélène Langis.

To make sure things move forward, Valerie Curotte has hired a lawyer to assess her legal options.

“His daughter was with her father all the time, she has the right to have answers, she has the right to know how and why her father died,” she insisted.

Justin Alexandre Moore did not respond to our interview request.