Man dies defending Metallica

**starbuck** · January 3rd, 2007, 05:24 PM

Florence Loyie, edmontonjournal.com
Published: Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Stefan Conley died after he got into a heated discussion with four teenagers on an Edmonton city transit bus about the rock band Metallica, telling them they had no taste in heavy metal music, court was told today.

A witness testified the 35-year-old man got angry when one of the youths he ridiculed undid his belt an top button in a silent invitation to perform a sex act on him.

Conley, who stood five-feet eleven-inches tall and weighed 198 pounds, got up and grabbed the youth, said the witness, who was also a passenger on the bus. The teen yelled at the older man, telling him to get away from him.

Three other teens jumped up and began punching Conley and yelled: "Leave him (their friend) alone,"? the witness said.

The witness, who was 15 at the time, wasn't among the four youths charged with Conley's death.

Conley died after the scuffle, which occurred on a near South Edmonton Common about 9 p.m. March 2.

The four teens, each charged with manslaughter, are in youth court for a preliminary hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to send the case to trial. There is no publication ban on the hearing but the four cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. One was 16 and three were 17 at the time of the killing.

The passenger testified the attack on Conley lasted about 10 seconds and the youth stopped punching him once he let go of their friend.

Conley appeared dazed but was still standing when the punching stopped, the witness said. The four youths got off the bus but one stopped to shove Conley as he left, the passenger said.

He testified the tall, burly man fell backwards, striking his head on the edge of the bus seat and slid sideways to the floor.

The teenager said he heard a crunching, squishy sound when Conley hit his head, then he started making a loud snoring sound.

The witness told defence lawyer Ed O'Neill the four teens charged in Conley's death punched the man but at no time did they kick him or stomp on his head. The teen said he got off the bus immediately after the other teens did and he and a friend went immediately to South Edmonton Common.

Earlier testimony indicated Conley died when an artery no larger than the lead in a pencil located in the base of his brain suffered a pinhole tear, the likely result from a blow to the face or chin. He had a blood-alcohol level of 0.16 per cent, twice the legal impairment level for driving.

The hearing continues.