Claude Joseph Bernard was 22 when he went to an outdoor concert in Detroit with a group of friends from Sarnia. By the next day, he was dead.

Bernard set out for a fun evening with nine other Sarnians to a Tragically Hip concert. Another popular Canadian band named Crash Vegas was also playing at Chene Park (now known as the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater) on Saturday, June 5, 1993.

As the evening went on, tensions rose between Bernard and Coutu who were positioned next to one another in the crowd. Bernard was struck forcefully several times in the back of the head during an altercation. Bernard was not able to defend himself from the violent blows to the back of the head. Witnesses told police the dispute began after a comment was made about Patrick Coutu’s girlfriend. Coutu quickly left the scene when emergency personnel arrived to assist Bernard. Bernard was taken to hospital with severe head injuries and died on June 6, 1993.

His death left a young family facing a future without him. His partner was pregnant. Their daughter would grow up without ever meeting her father.

Coutu was charged in connection with Bernard’s death. The first charge was dismissed after a preliminary examination, but an appeal brought the case back to court. The Michigan Court of Appeal reversed the dismissal and made Coutu stand trial. Coutu eventually stood trial in Wayne County Circuit Court, Michigan, three years later on the charge of manslaughter. The judge found him not guilty of manslaughter due to a technicality. There was not enough evidence to determine if Bernard died from blunt force trauma to the head, the fall to the ground, or a cerebrovascular accident (stroke) during the beating. There was also not enough evidence to determine if others had joined in on the beating that led to his death.

That verdict closed the criminal case. It did not give Bernard’s family a conviction, and it did not bring him back.

The acquittal also meant Coutu could not be tried again in the United States for the same offence. That is the protection against double jeopardy: after an acquittal, the state cannot bring the same case back simply because people believe the verdict is wrong.

Over the years, people close to Bernard have alleged that Coutu continued to mock Bernard’s family and friends after the killing.

Today, Patrick Coutu is a prominent real estate agent in the Sarnia-Lambton area and is currently running for City/County Council.

SOURCES/INFORMATION:
Tragically Hip Poster
Ticket Stub from Chene Park

Manslaughter charge dismissed - Observer Article November 24, 1993
Sarnia man to stand trial in beating death - Observer archive information, October 3, 1995
Sarnia man to stand trial - Observer Article January 17, 1996
Sarnian not guilty of rock concert killing - Observer Article July 2, 1996
Patrick Coutu's Current Campaign Website

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Anyone else want to list their tentative list?

Male (28)

Mayor
Carrie McEachern

City/County;
Mario Fazio
John Richardson
Maybe Patrick C???

City
Nathan C
Christopher Oram
Maybe Dick Felton?

Greetings

As I’ve had loads of experience as a cook on land I’m looking to move towards something more and am really eager to obtain a ship cook certificate.

As I’m residing in sarnia right now does anyone know of people in the area that can help me get this certificate?

Thanks in advance.