Enraged defendant threatens his lawyer
Joshua Daniel Grant Burden, 50, of Fredericton, spits on defence counsel ahead of court appearance; judge allows him to withdraw guilty pleas to MacTavish’s arson, other counts
Warning: This story contains profanity.
A homeless man with a history of courtroom outbursts spat on his defence lawyer just before a court appearance Friday and challenged him to “a duel in the street.”
A sentencing hearing for Joshua Daniel Grant Burden, 50, of no fixed address, was scheduled for continuation in Fredericton provincial court Friday on charges including arson, threats and probation violation.
Burden had pleaded guilty earlier this year to the charges, including causing damage by fire to MacTavish’s Source for Sports on Queen Street while being reckless as to whether the building was occupied at the time.
However, during the initial part of his sentencing hearing weeks ago, he denied setting that fire and claimed he only admitted to it because police coerced him and he wanted to be done with the matters.