The former Alberta MLA accused of threatening to kill a group of 13- and 14-year-olds testified in his own defence Thursday, telling the judge that he never yelled “I will shoot you” at the kids, despite the teens’ evidence one day earlier.
Derek Fildebrandt, 38, is on trial on four charges of uttering threats stemming from an incident last spring.
Fildebrandt was the Wildrose, United Conservative Party and Independent MLA for Strathmore-Brooks from 2015 to 2019.
On the night of April 13, 2024, Fildebrandt told Justice Allan Fradsham that he’d just returned from a business trip to Ottawa and was eating soup when he noticed a group of teenagers standing outside his home.
Dog poop signs at heart of case
Answering questions from his lawyer Alain Hepner, Fildebrandt testified that it was “extremely out of the ordinary” for people to be standing outside his home in his “extremely suburban” Crestmount community.
On Wednesday, three of the teens testified that they were waiting outside Fildebrandt’s home for another friend who had texted, asking to join them on a trip to a nearby gas station for snacks.
A large hedge meant Fildebrandt could only see the boys from their shoulders up, but he said they were “milling about suspiciously.”
Fildebrandt told the court that he has a series of “no peeing” and “no pooping” signs aimed at dog owners.
The teens, said Fildebrandt, “seemed to be reaching down … leading me to believe, in my opinion at the time, they were quite possibly taking those signs.”
“I generally have to restock them once a year because they go missing.”
When he came outside to assess the situation, Fildebrandt said he believed some of the signs were missing or damaged.
“I yelled, ‘Stop, come back here or I will call the police,” he told the judge. “I was upset.”
‘Leave my stuff alone’
Fildebrandt compared himself to Grampa Simpson and explained he just wanted the kids to “leave my stuff alone.”
When the boys ran, Fildebrandt got in his truck and followed them.
He also called 911 and told the operator: “I’m in pursuit of vandals who attacked my house.”
In cross-examination, Fildebrandt conceded, “‘attacked’ would be slightly hyperbolic.”
The accused was asked repeatedly if he threatened to shoot the teens or mentioned a gun.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “Categorically, no.”
Boys believed cane was shotgun
Three of the teens testified on Wednesday, telling the court that when Fildebrandt came out of his house he was carrying an object. At the time, Fildebrandt was using a cane after breaking his leg in a motorcycle accident.
They said Fildebrandt threatened to shoot them when he came out of his house, leading them to believe his cane was in fact a shotgun.
The boys said they ran because they believed they would be shot.
One of the teens testified Fildebrandt was “enraged.”
Fildebrandt told the court he wanted police to give the boys a talking-to.
As he pursued the boys in his truck, they hid behind cars and a tree. One teen knocked on a neighbour’s door asking for help.
Closing arguments will take place next week.