PORT HAWKESBURY, N.S. — The Crown has withdrawn death-threat charges against a Cape Breton teenager who posted online a song he wrote that included lyrics suggesting a school shooting "sounds like bliss."
The RCMP said the lyrics, written by 18-year-old Nelson Fletcher Rudderham, represented a threat against students and staff at the Inverness Education Centre Academy.
His trial was due to begin Tuesday, but the Crown withdrew the charge when the Inverness teenager agreed to sign a peace bond.
Defence lawyer Kevin Patriquin said he was happy with the outcome.
"I think it's a good resolution. It's one where you know what the outcome is going to be in terms of not having a criminal record, as long as he complies with the terms, and that is one of the most important aspects of it," he said.
Under the terms of the 12-month recognizance, Rudderham is required to keep the peace, stay away from the Inverness school, and not own or possess any firearms or explosives.
Crown attorney Herman Felderhof told the court he would drop the charge if Rudderham signed a bond, but did not elaborate. He would not comment afterward.
Patriquin said the peace bond conditions were all standard, and his client will have no problem complying with the firearms condition, which the Crown wanted because of the perceived threat conveyed in the song.
"That was a pretty easy one because Mr. Rudderham doesn't own any firearms anyways," he said. "It's almost a non-issue from his point of view."
Rudderham, who previously attended Inverness Academy, has said he included the line in question for shock value.
A song posted on his Facebook page, "They Call Me D---head," includes the following lyric: "I just got F--ed out of an education. A school shooting right now sounds like bliss in a single situation."
Rudderham was charged in March. At the time, Patriquin said Rudderham had indicated on his Facebook page that the song was meant to be sarcastic.
"I don't think it meets the test of a Criminal Code threat," Patriquin said at the time. "It wasn't intended to be taken seriously and that's essentially it."
