Russell Man Denied Bail Over Threats to Police, Court Rules Urgently

UPDATE: A judge has denied bail for Michael Man, a 45-year-old man from Russell, in a case that has raised serious concerns about threats made against police officers and public officials. This urgent ruling came during a hearing on November 1, 2023, at Brandon provincial court, where Judge Donovan Dvorak described Man’s actions as a “three-year fixation” that poses an ongoing danger.

During the hearing, Judge Dvorak expressed grave concerns, stating, “I’m concerned, frankly, if he’s released, somebody is going to get hurt, that there’s going to be tragic circumstances.” The judge emphasized the severity of Man’s threats, which included violent messages directed at law enforcement.

Man’s legal troubles began on January 10, 2023, when the Russell RCMP received reports from Interpol regarding threatening comments made on YouTube. Following an investigation, the threats were traced back to Man, leading to his arrest two days later. He was charged with resisting arrest, assaulting and obstructing a peace officer, and uttering threats.

On July 17, after pleading guilty to assaulting a peace officer, he received a time-served sentence but was soon back in the spotlight for further allegations. Just months later, on January 27, 2023, police responded to complaints of Man taking unauthorized photographs of a private residence. Three days later, he allegedly sent a series of menacing messages to community members, including a chilling threat to local police.

In court, Crown attorney Yaso Mathu detailed a particularly alarming message from Man: “Typical worthless pig f––s in costumes came to harass me… Next time that happens, I’ll wait for supper hour and kick their door and get the whole family.” These statements have compounded fears regarding his potential release.

On February 3, 2023, Man was granted a conditional release but was arrested again this month after sending a threatening email to Pattison Media. In the email, he expressed a desire for violence against police, stating, “Only good cops are dead cops,” and made specific threats against a local RCMP member and his family.

Mathu highlighted Man’s disturbing history of threats towards law enforcement, describing it as a concerning pattern of behavior. “He clearly has a disturbing animosity towards the police… The threats are graphic and concerningly specific,” she remarked.

Man, who represented himself in court, downplayed his threats, claiming they were “simply words” and insisted he wasn’t a violent person. He proposed a bail plan that included a $500 cash deposit and a 24-hour curfew at his mother’s home, asserting he would avoid any internet access. Judge Dvorak, however, dismissed his plan, stating, “We’ve had police officers murdered in Canada… and I’m not going to ignore these signs.”

As of now, Man remains in custody, with his case set to return to Russell provincial court on November 26, 2023. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, with police expressing relief over the decision to keep Man detained for the safety of the community.

This ongoing case highlights the critical issue of threats against law enforcement and raises questions about community safety, underscoring the importance of vigilance in addressing such alarming behaviors.