Charges have been reduced from second-degree murder to manslaughter in the trial of two men arrested in connection with the death of 45-year-old Kenrick First Rider in 2017.

Simon Danny Scout, 21, and Rylan James Wyatt Twigg, 25, began their trial on Tuesday.

The co-Crown prosecutor, Michael Fox, stated before the judge the trial would continue with lesser charges as the mens rea for second-degree murder couldn’t be established.

Twigg and Scout were first charged in November 2017, after Lethbridge EMS responded to a report of an unresponsive man in a north side home.

Lethbridge police and investigators on scene determined First Rider was involved in a verbal dispute with the two accused, which led to a physical altercation where police say First Rider sustained fatal injuries.

First Rider was pronounced dead on scene.

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A statement released by Lethbridge police established Twigg and Scout were living with the victim at the time of the incident and that Twigg’s mother had been in a relationship with First Rider.

Police say Twigg went to the police station the day of the incident and was arrested. He was then charged with second-degree murder the following day and has remained in custody since.

Scout was taken into custody the day after the incident and also charged but has since been released on bail.

In 2018, the accused first opted for a judge and jury trial. However, almost one year later, Twigg and Scout re-elected to be tried by a judge alone.

The trial began Tuesday, with the first two days of testimony focusing on the conditions of Twigg’s first night in jail leading up to the first statement he gave to police.

The trial is slated to last six weeks.

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