Manslaughter alleged in death of father

Manslaughter alleged in Winnipeg party death

A 23-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with manslaughter in connection to the death of a father of five at his daughter's 18th birthday party on Saturday.

Winnipeg police said Darren James Hall is in custody and will make an initial court appearance on Monday morning.

Police say Garth Isfeld, 44, died after allegedly being hit over the head by with a beer bottle outside his home on Stuart Avenue at around 12:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Const. Blair Good said a man at the party who had been asked to leave stood outside the home. When Isfeld came out, he was hit with a bottle and knocked to the ground.

Despite being taken to hospital with what police called minor injuries, family members said Isfeld developed blood clots and died.

Police interviewed a number of witnesses and have charged Hall in connection with Isfeld's death, which they say is Winnipeg's second homicide of 2010.

The family was hosting a birthday party for Isfeld's daughter, Stephanie. They had only recently moved into the home where the party was being held, family said.

Neighbours said they heard the party get rowdy and people could be heard screaming and telling a man to leave.

Family demands answers in death

THE family of Garth Isfeld is demanding to know why their father had to walk a block to an ambulance after he was allegedly bashed on the head with a beer bottle by a party crasher early Saturday morning.

Police say Isfeld, 44, died after he was struck on the head outside his North Kildonan home.

Police arrested Darren James Hall, 23, of Winnipeg at his home Saturday and charged him with manslaughter. The incident occurred in the 200 block of Stuart Avenue at a small barbecue to celebrate the birthday of one of Isfeld's daughters, who turned 18 Sunday.

One of Isfeld's friends arrived at the party with another man who was unknown to most of the dozen or so people at the birthday bash, said Elia Bevacqua, Isfeld's brother's common-law wife. The festivities took a turn for the worse just after midnight, she said.

"No one knew who this guy was," said Bevacqua. "He started being abusive to Garth's daughter and (Garth) came outside to protect his daughter."

Police said Isfeld walked past the suspect on the sidewalk outside his home and that's when he was struck with the beer bottle.

"He went right down," Bevacqua said. "There was blood everywhere."

One of Isfeld's daughters, Jessica Krasnesky, said paramedics helped walk Isfeld to the waiting ambulance, which was parked about a block away from the house.

"When's someone's head is cracked open, you bring out a stretcher," she said Sunday night. Krasnesky said paramedics talked to police before bringing her father to the hospital. "You rush him to the hospital, you don't stay there for 10 minutes before you go."

Winnipeg police Const. Blair Good said Sunday there were initial reports of a gun being involved, which proved incorrect. In the confusion over the possibility of a gun on the scene, medics may have taken precautions, Good said. However, Good said, he couldn't speak for the responders on the scene.

Krasnesky alleges her dad was taken to hospital and questioned by police first before getting medical treatment. He later died from a blood clot, she said. "As they were questioning him, he dozed off and died," she said. "They left him lying on a stretcher, that's how he died. They didn't check him first. There was blood pouring from the back of his head and he was bleeding from the ears.

"That ain't right," she said.

Good said Isfeld was taken to hospital and, initially, the injuries did not look very severe. His condition worsened in hospital and he died several hours later.

Five people who were in the home at the time of the fight were questioned by police in what was a confusing scene, Good said. Investigators are awaiting autopsy reports to determine the official cause of death.

On Sunday afternoon, spatters of blood still stained the tiny home's front steps and sidewalk.

Isfeld's death is the city's second homicide so far this year and it sparked an immediate outpouring of grief online as friend and relatives mourned a man known for his generous nature and sense of humour. Isfeld had two sons and three daughters, and an online profile indicates he attended Grant Park High School.

"He's a happy guy who just made everyone laugh," said one of Isfeld's longtime friends, who wanted to remain anonymous. The teary friend said Isfeld was living in the small single-storey white home on Stuart Avenue.

Bruce Williams said his new neighbours had just moved in, and he saw them carrying groceries and furniture to the home all day Friday.

What I find biased about these articles, is that neither of them give enough information on the accused. They do not represent him fairly and I am sure he would agree. They do not mention his background information or factors which may have lead to the killing or events leading up to the killing. By not doing this, gives readers a biased opinion about the case and assume that this man is guilty and should be charged with murder instead of manslaughter. Readers will say that he should have been charged with murder, when they dont even know all the facts or the basis on why the police charged him with manslaughter. 

Also with the "Robbery Capital" story just last week and now a story about a second homicide, gives readers the impression that crime is increasing, when really it is not. The media just chooses to only report on the rare, violent occurrences. Then people start calling for tougher laws, which are unnecessary and unneeded because there is a false perception of a "crime epidemic." People let there emotions take over and do not realize that there must be intent to be charged with murder and obviously the police did not see that. People believe that we have a high murder rate, when really, we dont. Murder is the rarest offence but the media over-sensationalizes it so much, that people have the perception that it is common. Really, the most common crime is property crime. 

Besides, in this case, the man later died on blood clots and have to prove that his death was caused by the beer bottle. People always seem too quick to judge and want someone punished without all the facts. The victim could have provoked the attack and the 23 year old, fighting for self-defence. 

There are so many different possibilities of what could have happened. People who just call for murder when they weren't there and dont know what happened, are ignorant and sick. 

He was likely charged with manslaughter because the accused was probably intoxicated and could not form the necessary intent. His ability to reason out the consequences of his actions, were impaired. The police obviously have sufficient evidence to only charge with manslaughter and nothing more. Murder does not apply because it appears this man did not intend to kill. Many people think that the fact that a crime is labelled as murder vs manslaughter is a reflection of the seriousness of the crime. When in reality, it's an indication of the circumstances of the crime. 


Manslaughter is the proper charge because he committed a criminal act which was intended to kill. By being charged with manslaughter, does not mean that we are soft on crime, like many believe. Breaking a beer bottle over someone's head resulting in blood clotting, could not be aware of at the time.

Winnipeg dad dies after birthday party assault

A Winnipeg father of five has died in hospital after being assaulted by an uninvited guest who crashed his daughter's 18th birthday party early Saturday.
Family members identified the man who died as Garth Isfeld, 44, who they say got into a fight with a man who'd been asked to leave.
They said Isfeld was struck over the head with a beer bottle as he stepped in to protect another daughter from the man.
Isfeld had a barbecue to celebrate the birthday of his daughter, Stephanie Krasnesky, after recently moving into the small home in the north Winnipeg neighbourhood.
Police were called to the house around 12:30 a.m. Family members said Isfeld was rushed to hospital, where he developed blood clots and died.
Elia Bevacqua, Isfled's sister-in-law, saw the assault happen. “Beer-bottled him in the head and he just dropped,” she said.
His daughter Stephanie curled up in a chair and sobbed, her family leaning over to touch and hug her as she spoke about the traumatic experience.
“I just seen him on the ground and he was rolling his eyes back in,” she cried. “There was so much blood everywhere. I just grabbed a pillow and put it around his head.”
Neighbours said the party got rowdy and people could be heard screaming, telling a man to leave.
Several people who were at the home when the fight happened are being interviewed.
Police are investigating. No charges have been laid.
Randall Krasnesky, 22, holding his sister's hand, said he'll do everything he can to support the remaining children who've been left without a father.
“They got me and I'll look after them,” he said.