A St. John’s man should know his fate on a charge of manslaughter before he’s tried for intimidating a witness from the trial.

Fifty-six-year-old Des Downey is accused of punching 71-year-old Doug Hunt hard enough to break his neck, causing a fatal brain bleed.

It happened in March of 2022.

The trial was about to hear closing arguments in November when it was learned Downey was arrested for allegedly contacting and intimidating one of the witnesses.

That charge was called today in Provincial Court but set over until February 2nd due to Downey’s conflict of interest with all of the lawyers at Legal Aid, including those representing him in the manslaughter trial.

A verdict in that case is expected three days earlier, on January 30th.