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Accused in Christopher Skinner death pleads guilty to manslaughter

By Keith Capstick

The man who was charged for the murder of Ryerson grad Christopher Skinner in 2009 has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Augustin Alexander Caruso appeared in court on Oct. 5 to make the plea, almost six years to the day of Skinner’s death.

The guilty plea is for manslaughter, not the original charge of second-degree murder.

Caruso addressed the court in tears and recited his plea.

“These circumstances do not reflect who I am today,” Caruso said. “I was a young man with no direction … I hope my plea today brings some peace.”

Skinner was beaten and run over with an SUV whilst on his way home from his sister’s birthday party. In 2013, when Caruso was arrested, police said Skinner was reaching out to hail a cab and touched the SUV, which provoked the attack.

Both the Crown and the defense are requesting that Caruso receive an eight-and-a-half year sentence.

More to come.

With files from Ramisha Farooq

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