“The justice system is a joke,” says Max Pritchett outside the Barrie courthouse during a lunch recess on Thursday.
The 22-year-old Barrie man, along with his co-accused, 25-year-old Dylan Brown, was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and multiple weapons offences in connection with a shooting in August 2017 that police described as ‘targeted.’
Both men were wanted on Canada-wide warrants for allegedly shooting a 28-year-old man at Mulcaster Street and Lakeshore Drive. The victim had to be airlifted to a Toronto hospital with serious injuries.
Pritchett turned himself in to police after two weeks, while Brown was arrested in his hometown of London. Brown remains in custody.
After four grueling hours, the judge read her decision. All charges related to the shooting were withdrawn for Pritchett. The judge decided there wasn’t enough evidence for his case to proceed.
Brown has been committed to trial where he will answer to all seven charges against him.
Pritchett’s father, a 45-year-old Barrie man, has also been charged by police in connection with this investigation. He is facing accessory after the fact to attempted murder, possession for the purpose of trafficking and two weapons charges. He is scheduled to face a judge to answer to those allegations in March.
Max Pritchett will still go to trial for a cocaine-related charge.
