Justice News 

Death of 26-year-old father-to-be ruled a homicide, girlfriend speaks out, says attack was random

Davelle Desmond is seen in a family photo. The 26-year-old's death on Aug. 6 has been ruled a homicide. (Kevin Desmond)
Davelle Desmond is seen in a family photo. The 26-year-old’s death on Aug. 6 has been ruled a homicide. (Kevin Desmond)

The death of a 26-year-old Halifax man last weekend has been ruled a homicide, police say.

In a news release on Wednesday, Halifax Regional Police identified the victim as Davelle Rodney Vance Desmond.

Via CBC: Death of 26-year-old man ruled a homicide, Halifax police say

The pregnant girlfriend of a 26-year-old Dartmouth man who died following an altercation on the Halifax waterfront this weekend is speaking out about what happened that night.

Shayla Lorenz, 19, said she arrived at the waterfront area with her late boyfriend, Davelle Desmond, and two other friends to take in the Natal Day fireworks on Sunday evening.

The unexpected circumstances that soon followed proved to be fatal.

“Davelle got into an altercation with this teenager,” she said in an interview with Global News on Wednesday, adding that he originally planned to walk away instead of engaging further.

Via Global Halifax [w/ VIDEO]: Girlfriend of man killed on Halifax waterfront speaks out, says attack was random

 

See also:

The candidates in the Preston riding (left to right): Angela Simmonds (Liberal), Archy Beals (PC), and Colter Simmonds (NDP)

For the first time in Nova Scotia election history, all the candidates in one riding are Black

Angela Simmonds, Archy Beals, and Colter Simmonds are running in the riding of Preston.

Davelle Desmond is seen in a family photo. The 26-year-old's death on Aug. 6 has been ruled a homicide. (Kevin Desmond)

Police lay charges in homicide of Davelle Rodney Vance Desmond

Police have laid charges in the homicide of Davelle Rodney Vance Desmond that occurred earlier this month in Halifax.

On August 6 at approximately 9:40 p.m., police received a report of a disturbance that had occurred on the Halifax waterfront in the area of the 1500 block of Lower Water Street. Officers located an unresponsive man on the boardwalk. The victim was transported to hospital where he later died.

Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard speaks at the Emancipation Day celebration in Grand Parade in Halifax. Photo: Matthew Byard

The long road to Emancipation Day

“Twenty-five years ago the Honourable Jean Augustine [the first African-Canadian woman to be elected to as a Member of Parliament] put forward a motion in the House of Commons to have February designated Black History Month. And at the same time, there were lobby efforts being made to have Emancipation Day recognized. So that’s how long this has been in the making. Over 25 years.”

Emancipation Day, August 1, marks the same day in 1834 when slavery was officially banned in all of the British colonies, including in what would eventually become Canada.

Staff from the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute. Photo: Matthew Byard

(Sept 12-28) Black Justice Strategy Community Engagement Sessions

Canada’s Black Justice Strategy Community Engagement Sessions – Hosted By ANSJI The African Nova Scotian Justice Institute is leading public

Halifax police release use of force policy, three years after request from oversight board

Halifax police release use of force policy, three years after request from oversight board [VIDEO]

Two years after a confrontation with protesters ended with angry shoving, pepper spray and almost two dozen arrests, Halifax Regional Police finally released its policy on use of force.

It comes as an external review by a Toronto law firm is underway into police action during a protest on Spring Garden Road in August 2021, when hundreds of people tried to stop police and city workers from removing shelters used by homeless people.

Dwayne Provo. Photo: African Nova Scotian Affairs

Dwayne Provo appointed Associate Deputy Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs

This is the first time government has appointed someone to the role to focus solely on the work of African Nova Scotia Affairs.