Lawsuits allege Moncton casino manager killed by drunk customer

CBC
·3 min read
Two lawsuits have been filed in Moncton court over the March assault and subsequent death of Casino New Brunswick's food and beverages manager. (Gilles Landry/Radio-Canada - image credit)
Two lawsuits have been filed in Moncton court over the March assault and subsequent death of Casino New Brunswick's food and beverages manager. (Gilles Landry/Radio-Canada - image credit)

The family of a Casino New Brunswick manager who died after being assaulted on the job are suing the alleged perpetrator and the company that owns the casino.

Food and beverage manager Rodney Frenette, 56, was assaulted March 4 and died in hospital March 28.

Michael Thomas Glaspy, 50, of Riverview has been charged with manslaughter.

Frenette's estate, widow and daughter filed two separate lawsuits in Moncton court against Glaspy and the casino owner, Great Canadian Gaming (New Brunswick) Ltd.

The statements of claim say Frenette was working on March 4 when, "without warning," Glaspy struck Frenette in the face, causing him to fall backward and hit his head.

The statements say Frenette went unconscious and died "despite valiant medical efforts."

Rodney Frenette, 56, died March 28, 2023, in hospital after being assaulted while working at Casino New Brunswick in Moncton.
Rodney Frenette, 56, died March 28, 2023, in hospital after being assaulted while working at Casino New Brunswick in Moncton.

Rodney Frenette, 56, died March 28 in hospital after being assaulted while working at Casino New Brunswick in Moncton. (Submitted by Connie Frenette)

The lawsuits, separate from the criminal case, contain allegations that have yet to be proven in court. Statements of defence have yet to be filed.

Gilles Lemieux, a defence lawyer representing Glaspy on the criminal charge, declined to comment Thursday.

The case against Glaspy alleges he was a customer at the casino who had "consumed excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages and/or intoxicants," which left him unable to act appropriately.

It describes Glaspy as six feet four inches tall and 300 pounds, who used "excessive force" against the smaller Frenette.

"He failed to take into account his superior physical demeanour and martial arts and/or boxing training," the lawsuit says of Glaspy.

It alleges he failed to take medications or follow treatment for his "violent tendencies," failed to avoid a gambling facility when his gambling habits were known to cause aggravation and anger, and failed to seek counselling to curb his "violent tendencies."

The claim says Glaspy's actions caused Frenette's family to suffer.

Brian Murphy is the lawyer who filed the cases on behalf of the family.

In an interview, Murphy described Glaspy's alleged actions as a "violent sucker punch stroke that ended up, eventually, in Mr. Frenette dying and a tremendous loss to the family."

Case against casino alleges lack of security

The lawsuit against the casino company alleges it was negligent by failing to provide adequate security knowing, or ought to have known, that Glaspy was "a danger, was being served excessive alcohol, and had become unruly."

It says Frenette's duties didn't include security which should have dealt with Glaspy instead of Frenette.

Alternatively, the suit claims the casino was warned by Frenette and others of inadequate security and excessive serving of alcohol but took no measures to protect its staff and the public.

CBC requested comment from Great Canadian Gaming on Thursday, but has yet to receive a response.

The cases do not specify how much money they are seeking from Glaspy or the company, leaving the determination of damages to the court.

Glaspy is expected to appear in Moncton provincial court Friday for the criminal case. He has elected to be tried by a judge and jury.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • 'What have we done?' Lawyer describes shock at possible role in Trump's 2016 victory

    NEW YORK (AP) — A lawyer who negotiated a pair of hush money deals at the center of Donald Trump's criminal trial recalled Thursday his “gallows humor” reaction to Trump's 2016 election victory and the realization that his hidden-hand efforts might have contributed to the win. “What have we done?” the attorney Keith Davidson texted the then-editor of the National Enquirer, which had buried stories of extramarital sexual encounters to prevent them surfacing in the final days of the bitterly conte

  • People left stunned by photo of Princess Charlotte shared on 9th birthday

    After sharing a new photo of Princess Charlotte in honor of her 9th birthday, people can’t believe who she looks like.

  • Donald Trump Appears To Reveal His Plan If He Loses Election To Joe Biden

    The former president made the chilling remark about the 2024 election to a Wisconsin newspaper.

  • Donald ‘Von ShitzInPantz’ Diss Makes Hush-Money Trial Debut

    Mark Peterson-Pool/Getty ImagesDonald Trump can dish it out, but he has shown, once again, that he simply cannot take it.As proceedings began Thursday morning in the disgraced ex-president’s criminal hush-money trial, defense attorney Todd Blanche complained to New York State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan that the gag order put in place to prevent Trump from intimidating witnesses, jurors, and court staff was unfair to his client.“Everybody can say anything they want, except for President Tru

  • William and Kate ‘Going Through Hell,’ Says ‘Heartbroken’ Confidante

    Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty ImagesThe relationship between members of the royal family and their clothes designers reached its apogee in the bond between Queen Elizabeth and her dresser, Angela Kelly. Kelly was the gatekeeper through which even family members had to pass to see Her Majesty in her declining years. She spent much of the last two years of her life with her and was at her bedside in her last days in Scotland. Even Prince Harry’s relationship with his grandmother was soured at one stage b

  • ‘He Hates That So Much’: Jimmy Kimmel Tells The Story That’s Driving Trump Nuts

    The late night host spots a report that the former president “really” doesn’t like.

  • Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson reportedly had ‘huge fight’ on the set of ‘Red Notice’

    An alleged confrontation between Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is being detailed in new reports that surfaced Tuesday. While filming the 2021 Netflix film “Red Notice,” the actors reportedly had a “huge fight” over Johnson’s repeated tardiness to set, according to sources who spoke with The Wrap. With the chatter spreading on Tuesday, a representative for Amazon MGM Studios ...

  • 41 ‘apex predators’ — that eat venomous snakes — released in north Florida. Here’s why.

    The threatened creatures are a keystone species in north Florida, wildlife experts said.

  • China Releases CGI Video of Moon Base and It Contains Something Very Strange

    Blurred Out The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has shown off a CGI video of its vision of a lunar base, a vastly ambitious plan the country is hoping to realize in a matter of decades. The showy, albeit already dated-looking render shows plans for the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) a Chinese and Russian […]

  • “The View” star Sara Haines asks cohosts to stop looking at her skirt live on air: 'I expect it from the men!'

    Haines walked out to the Hot Topics table wearing a leather skirt with high slits on both sides.

  • Exclusive-Russian troops enter base housing US military in Niger, US official says

    Russian military personnel have entered an air base in Niger that is hosting U.S. troops, a senior U.S. defense told Reuters, a move that follows a decision by Niger's junta to expel U.S. forces from the country. The military officers ruling the West African nation have told the U.S. to withdraw its nearly 1,000 military personnel from the country, which until a coup last year had been a key partner for Washington's fight against insurgents who have killed thousands of people and displaced millions more. A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Russian forces were not mingling with U.S. troops but were using a separate hanger at Airbase 101, which is next to Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, Niger's capital.

  • Judge Refuses to Green Light Angry Trump Posts

    Doug Mills/GettyDonald Trump tried—and failed—to lure the judge overseeing his New York criminal trial into the position of greenlighting his angry screeds to ensure they don’t violate a gag order that seeks to stop him from continuing to intimidate witnesses and jurors.The move came after Trump got slapped with $9,000 in fines and a warning of a potential stay in the slammer on Tuesday, then had to fend off the risk of an additional $4,000 in penalties Thursday morning.After a trial lunch break

  • Trump Unleashes Bizarre 'Word Salad' Answer During Live Nighttime TV Interview

    The former president left many confused with his rambling answer on Fox News.

  • Law Firm Defending Trump Seeks to Withdraw From a Long-Running Case

    A law firm that has long defended Donald Trump’s campaign and businesses from employment lawsuits has abruptly asked to withdraw from a yearslong case over what it calls an “irreparable breakdown in the attorney-client relationship.” The firm — LaRocca, Hornik, Greenberg, Rosen, Kittridge, Carlin and McPartland — has represented Trump’s political operation in numerous suits dating to his first presidential run, helping secure several settlements and dismissals and billing nearly $3 million in th

  • Toronto influencer Susete Isabel says she initially ignored her stage 4 cancer symptoms: 'It's a bad sign'

    Isabel says she didn't worry about an enlarged note because it "didn't hurt."

  • Auston Matthews to miss second straight playoff game with Leafs facing elimination

    TORONTO — Auston Matthews was back on the Scotiabank Arena ice. That won't be the case when his Maple Leafs once again face elimination Thursday night. Head coach Sheldon Keefe said following the morning skate the star sniper would be unavailable for Game 6 with Toronto down 3-2 in its first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins. Matthews was pulled from Game 4 with an illness and didn't suit up in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime road victory at TD Garden as the Leafs kept their hopes alive. The

  • Step aside MLB umpires, the NHL officials ‘shine’ in Stars’ playoff win over Las Vegas

    Epidemic of questionable calls continues as the Dallas Stars’ Game 5 win over Las Vegas is marred by the refs

  • Woman acquitted of historical sex offence against teen stepson

    WARNING: This story contains details of child sexual abuse.An Ontario woman has been acquitted of a sex crime against her teen stepson in Ottawa 40 years ago because the judge couldn't be sure that Canadians in the 1980s would have found it criminally immoral.It's a rare case because a woman stands accused, leaving the judge in a tough spot with little case law to lean on, according to a law professor who specializes in sexual offences. Still, Janine Benedet said it would have been helpful for t

  • Jerry Seinfeld's Wife Jessica and All 3 Kids Pop Up to Support Comedian at “Unfrosted ”Premiere

    The comedian's entire family made a rare appearance on Tuesday, April 30, as they joined him at the L.A. premiere of his directorial debut 'Unfrosted'

  • Lauren Boebert Gets The ‘Beetlejuice’ Treatment During Campus Protest Visit

    The far-right congresswoman received an awkward reminder during her tour of George Washington University.