Parole denied for trucker convicted in death of Cindy Gladue in an Edmonton hotel room

A former truck driver convicted in the 2011 death of a woman in an Edmonton hotel room has been denied parole, with the board citing his history of violence and deceit and his ongoing efforts to minimize the crime.

Bradley Barton was convicted in 2021 of manslaughter in the death of Cindy Gladue. The 36-year-old Métis and Cree woman bled to death in the bathtub following a violent sexual encounter in a hotel suite in the city’s west end.  

Barton, now 57, was sentenced to serve 11½ years. 

In a decision from the Parole Board of Canada, dated Jan. 16, Barton’s requests for either full or day parole were rejected, citing the risk his release would pose to the community. 

The board described Barton’s comments about Gladue’s death, including his continued justifications for the crime, as “disturbing” and evasive. 

“While you stated you took responsibility for the victim’s death, your statements and explanations showed some rationalization and justification of your behaviours,” the board wrote in its decision.

Barton performed a “highly invasive” sexual act on his intoxicated victim but failed to seek medical help, instead checking out of his hotel and lying to police to avoid responsibility, the board wrote.

“The victim may have survived had she received timely medical help, which you deprived her of,” it said.

According to the parole report, Barton told the board he was on the road for lengthy periods of time as a trucker and was “bored and lonely” in the days leading up to Gladue’s death.

He maintained his view that a “business arrangement” with the victim equated to consent for “dangerous sexual acts” that left Gladue gravely injured, stated the board’s report. 

Barton was convicted of manslaughter in 2021, but the high-profile case spent years winding its way through the courts, resulting in two trials and several appeals. 

Court heard Barton, from Mississauga, Ont., hired Gladue for two nights of sex. At trial, Barton testified the sex was consensual and he was shocked when he woke the next morning to find her dead in the tub.   

In 2015, a jury found Barton not guilty of first-degree murder. The acquittal sparked rallies and calls for justice for Indigenous women, and concerns about the derogatory language used to describe Gladue at trial and legal flaws in the final ruling.

Both the Alberta Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court ordered a new trial resulting in Barton’s manslaughter conviction. He was handed a 12½-year sentence, which was reduced for time served.

Barton’s appeal of his conviction was rejected by the Supreme Court.   

Gladue, a mother of three, has been described as a loving daughter, mother and grandmother with a joyful, protective spirit — a woman whose complex life should not be reduced to a single horrific night.

The board noted that Barton continues to display dangerous behaviours, including extreme sexual violence, problematic sexual interests, emotional mismanagement and poor judgment.

It noted he completed a rehabilitative program for sex offenders, but he minimized his offences and did not accept that his “sexual deviancy” needed to be addressed. 

The report noted he has repeatedly been found in possession of pornography while incarcerated but failed to see why that was problematic. 

He continues to minimize his actions, struggles to understand the concept of consent and rationalizes his behaviour, the report said. It noted a “significant regression” in Barton’s correctional progress. 

“[Correctional Service Canada] describes you as evasive, self-serving and manipulative, and that you continue to struggle with the concept of consent,” the report said. 

His day parole release plan was to reside at a community-based residential facility or to live with one of his sons.

Barton’s history of violence was also noted by the board. 

While he has no prior convictions, the board alluded to a dismissed sexual assault charge for an alleged attack against a previous girlfriend and a stayed assault charge for a 1996 incident for choking his partner.

“Not surprisingly, you are considered an average risk for sexual reoffending, a low-moderate risk for violent recidivism, and a low risk for partner violence, and the board does not lose sight of such disturbing realities,” the report said. 

The board highlighted the continued cost of Barton’s crimes, referencing victim impact statements submitted by Gladue’s family and friends at trial. 

These accounts, the board wrote, convey the depths of grief and sorrow felt by those who loved Gladue, including her three children who will deal with the trauma of their loss “for the remainder of their lives.”