A former Halifax bar bouncer has been found guilty of manslaughter in the death of a patron on Christmas Eve 2022.
Alexander Pishori Levy, 40, was charged in the death of Ryan Sawyer, 31.
Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice James Chipman also found Levy guilty of criminal negligence causing death.
At the time, Levy was employed as the head of security at the now-closed Halifax Alehouse bar in downtown Halifax.
During his judge-alone trial last month, Levy told the court he applied a chokehold on Sawyer outside the bar during a scuffle.
Levy’s defence argued his actions were in self-defence, which the judge rejected in his decision.
“I feel like my client got a fair trial. The judge gave a decision that was well-reasoned and lengthy and detailed, so we’ll have to take time to consider it. Obviously, my client is disappointed with the outcome,” said defence lawyer James Giacomantonio.
“I would just say that he’s, you know, he’s in a reasonable state of shock and he’s just processing a very difficult moment in his life.”
Sawyer’s family spoke outside the court after the guilty verdict. His father, Scott Sawyer, said, “Nobody wins today.”
Get daily National news
Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
“We’ve lost a son, and we also had a son badly beat up. We’re not going to have this moment, or what has happened to Ryan define us going forward. We’re going to be strong for Ryan,” he said.
The family is also calling for stronger regulations in the province for the bar and security industry, saying what happened was preventable.
“We are going to push forward and we’re not going to stop until the premier of Nova Scotia recognizes that this needs to be done, and it needs to be done with proper regulation. They need to be regulated, and that’s for all security,” said Sawyer’s mother, Lee Sawyer.
“So it’s not just about the bars themselves, it’s about all security.”
Sentencing is scheduled for April 26, 2025, and Crown prosecutors said they haven’t determined sentencing recommendations yet.
“It’s a very serious case, obviously, and ultimately, there aren’t any winners here. You know, Ryan Sawyer is not coming back. So, you know, it’s something his parents and his family are always going to have to deal with,” said Crown prosecutor Melanie Perry.
Crown argued incident was ‘fit of rage’
Levy testified his security training taught him that using the “rear naked choke” was a safer way to get an altercation under control, rather than throwing punches.
During the trial, the court heard how Sawyer and his brother, Kyle, were asked to leave the bar after an altercation inside.
a fight between security and the brothers ensued
Levy recalled at one point Ryan Sawyer being on top of him and trying to punch or claw at his face.
“If he gets in a good hit or if I don’t put him to sleep, he could overpower me and get up and then I could get pummelled into the ground,” Levy testified on Oct. 15.
“So I decided that I would squeeze and try to put him to sleep.”
However, the Crown argued the events of Dec. 24, 2022, were the result of a “fit of rage.”
“In the Crown’s view, the very decision to put the chokehold on him in the first place was unreasonable, and he was not acting in self-defence or defence of anyone else,” said Crown prosecutor Robert Kennedy during closing arguments on Oct. 21.
In May 2023, the province announced that security staff at late-night bars will need to undergo a criminal check and security training. They will also need to provide a criminal record check “on request” and complete a responsible beverage service training program.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
