Man on trial for Banff murder says he was acting in self-defence
John Sproule’s shirt was pulled over his head and he was taking punches to the face when he says he took out a pocket knife and began “swinging it frantically trying to get the attack to stop.”
Sproule, 23, who is on trial for second-degree murder in the September 2022 death of Ryden Brogden, 27, testified in his own defence Friday.
Sproule admitted to causing Brogden’s fatal injuries, but in an opening statement to jurors, defence lawyer Cory Wilson said his client was acting in self-defence.
“Ryden, for reasons that cannot be explained and make absolutely no sense, violently attacked Johnny Sproule in an unprovoked and unrelenting assault,” said Wilson.
On the night of Sept. 2 and into the early morning hours of Sept. 3, 2022, Sproule and his brother were bar hopping in Banff while on a family vacation with their parents and other relatives.
Sproule testified he wore a pair of jeans from the day before, which had his work knife in the pocket, used in his job at a drilling and blasting company.
Brogden was in Banff that night with his friend Howard Pearse.
Both pairs of men ended up outside the Dancing Sasquatch bar around midnight.
Conflict over cigarette
Wilson said the video evidence and witness testimony shows the Sproule brothers were happy, dancing, high-fiving and joking with staff that night.
“Johnny Sproule was happy, he was friendly, he was having a good time and he was non-confrontational,” said Wilson.
Sproule testified he asked to bum a cigarette from Brogden.
That’s when Sproule says Brogden said “f–k off” and pushed him.
Sproule says he responded “what the f–k is wrong with you,” before Brogden punched him in the face.
‘I’m done, stop’
Sproule testified he couldn’t get away from Brogden, who had grabbed him by the shirt.
“Ryden grabbed me, ragdolling me down the street, throwing a couple punches at me,” Sproule told jurors. “I kept saying ‘I’m done, I’m done, stop.'”

Video from a nearby business and from a cellphone show the pair in a struggle as Brogden throws Sproule across a sidewalk.
At one point, Sproule broke free but Brogden appears to grab him by the shirt again.
The melee continued onto an empty patio, where Sproule said he was pinned against a picnic table.
‘Scared for my life’
Sproule says Brogden said several times, “I’m going to fucking kill you, you’re dead.”
“Ryden is grabbing me, throwing me, punching me … I was just scared for my life,” he told jurors.
“I couldn’t see what was going on … my shirt was wrapped over my face.”
Sproule says the punches were hitting him in the face, head and body.
That’s when Sproule says he grabbed his pocket knife, using his thumb and a flick motion to open it.
‘Were you trying to kill Ryden?’
Sproule says he began swinging the knife around with one hand and trying to push Brogden away with his other.
Brogden was stabbed 12 times and suffered another seven sharp force wounds
“Were you trying to kill Ryden?” Wilson asked his client, who answered “no.”
Wilson asked why Sproule pulled out his knife.
“I tried everything. I told him I’m done. He just kept beating me, saying he was going to kill me,” said Sproule.
Finally, a bouncer arrived and pulled Brogden off of Sproule. Another security officer pulled Sproule away.
‘I don’t want to die’
Sproule and his brother began running.
He testified that he believed Brogden and his friends “were chasing after us.”
Security video shows four men following the two brothers at one point as they turn into an alley.
The Sproule brothers ended up hiding under an SUV and called 911. They didn’t speak but Josh Sproule could be heard whispering to his brother “please, John, I don’t want to die.”
A man can be heard saying “where are those guys?”
Injuries to head, face, chest
Sproule told jurors he believed the voices he heard were Brogden and his friends.
Eventually, Sproule ended up jumping off the roof of a nearby three-storey condo building. That’s where he encountered police and was ultimately taken to hospital and placed under arrest.
Photos of Sproule’s injuries were presented to jurors, showing various wounds to his face, head, chin and chest.
Sproule acknowledged he unsuccessfully tried to jump over a fence and landed on it, which could have caused some of his injuries.
Under cross-examination, prosecutor Kaitlyn Perrin pointed out Sproule was running and walking along Banff’s main streets, passing people who could have helped.
“You [say you] were running for your life, but when you approached people who could help you, you walked right past them.”
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