A New Brunswick man has been charged with manslaughter after prosecutors allege he assaulted a casino food and beverage manager last year.
Police say Michael Thomas Glaspy, 51, assaulted Rodney Frenette, 56, at Casino New Brunswick in Moncton on March 3, 2023. Frenette was working at the time and died on March 28. Police and a lawsuit by the victim’s family allege that Glaspy was intoxicated at the time. Frenette’s daughter Krystel Frenette says the loss has been crushing for the family.
“We didn’t just lose my dad Rodney, we watched him suffer in absolute pain and agony for over three weeks to the point that he couldn’t open his eyes or talk,” she told Radio-Canada. “This was an act of violence because he woke up and went to work.”
Details on the Case
The family of Frenette, including his widow, have sued the owner of the casino, Great Canadian Gaming, arguing the property lacked appropriate security to prevent the incident. The family have also sued Glaspy and argue he struck Frenette “without warning.”
That led to the food and beverage manager falling and hitting his head, which eventually caused his death. The suit alleges Glaspy “consumed excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages and/or intoxicants,” and was also much larger than Frenette.
“He failed to take into account his superior physical demeanor and martial arts and/or boxing training,” the lawsuit notes.
The suit also alleged Glaspy has “violent tendencies” and hadn’t taken medication or followed treatment recommendations for these issues. The suit alleges Glaspy knew gambling exacerbated these tendencies. The family’s attorney, Brian Murphy, described Glaspy’s actions that night as a “violent sucker punch.”
Regarding the casino, the suit alleges Frenette and others warned management the property didn’t have enough security and that guests were being served too much alcohol.
Offering a Defense
Glaspy’s attorney Alison Ménard responded to the lawsuit last week and argued that the casino was to blame for seeing the incident get out of control. She argues that Frenette should not have been involved in a security issue that arose that night.
“The defendant claims and the fact is that the deceased Rodney Frenette responded to and interfered in a security situation at the Casino New Brunswick which was out of the realm and scope of his employment and training, thereby contributing to his own injuries and subsequent death,” court documents note.
Frenette alleges security video shows that Frenette confronted Glaspy, rather than let security deal with the situation, and a “heated exchange” ensued. That led to pushing and shoving, according to defense documents, with other personnel also then getting involved.
“The intervention of the bar staff caused the defendant to fall forward, precipitating the backward fall of the alleged victim,” the defense notes. “In the course of the fall, the alleged victim struck his head, causing serious injury to himself.”
Ménard disputes the “violent tendencies” and martial arts/boxing training claims in the family’s suit and has asked that it be dismissed.
After the recent charges, prosecutor Marine Polo agreed to allow Glaspy to be released from custody while awaiting trial, but he is barred from visiting the casino and must remain in New Brunswick except for going to Saskatchewan for his job. Glaspy is next scheduled to appear in court for the criminal charge on May 26.
