Grand Forks manslaughter case declared a mistrial
Published 11:52 am Friday, August 28, 2026
The jury in the Grand Forks area manslaughter trial for Sean Tiessen was unable to reach a verdict.
The B.C. Prosecution Service told Black Press Media that Justice Lindsay Lyster declared a mistrial Thursday (Aug. 27) after the jury was deadlocked.
Tiessen’s next court date is scheduled for Sept. 8 at 2 p.m. at the Rossland Law Courts for a scheduling appearance.
The jury went into deliberations Tuesday afternoon following Lyster’s charge in the morning and nearly a full day of closing submissions from defence and Crown counsel on Monday. The deliberations continued until Thursday afternoon.
Lyster told the jury on Tuesday that they must be unanimous in any verdict, whether it’s guilty or not guilty.
“If one or more of you cannot agree with the majority, after sincere consideration of the facts and honest discussion with your fellow jurors, you are entitled to do so.”
However, she said that if that is the case, she would be forced to declare a mistrial, and the trial would begin again.
During the manslaughter trial, the jury heard from several witnesses, including the girlfriend of the man killed who was in the home at the time of the shooting, an RCMP officer, a forensic pathologist and the accused Sean Tiessen.
They also listened to audio from the moments leading up to, during and after the shooting.
Tiessen, 47, is facing one count of manslaughter in the death of Joshua Lockwood, 33, following an incident that took place at a home shared by the two and Lockwood’s girlfriend, Keera Roberts, after midnight on April 16, 2023.
He’s claiming self-defence.
The jury had to determine Tiessen’s use of self-defence. He admitted to shooting Lockwood, but said it was in self-defence, as he claimed Lockwood came at him with a hatchet. He said he feared for his life.
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