Drunk dad stalls baby OD death trial

A father accused of causing the overdose death of his infant daughter showed up drunk on the first day of his Calgary trial, which delayed proceedings.

Jonathan Hope and Lisa Guerin, also known as Lisa Hope, pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, criminal negligence causing death and failure to provide the necessities of life in the death of their 16-month-old daughter, Summer.

She died after swallowing an overdose of methadone in her home in April 2006. Police believe that Jonathan Hope smuggled the methadone home from a clinic where he was being treated for drug addiction.

The couple's trial was slated to start on Monday in the Court of Queen's Bench in Calgary. However, Crown prosecutor Ken McCaffrey noticed alcohol on Jonathan Hope's breath.

Justice E.C. Wilson revoked Hope's bail immediately and delayed the proceedings until the afternoon because the accused was "intoxicated."

Defence lawyer Joan Blumer admitted her client was in no condition to be in court on Monday morning.

But as the proceedings got underway on Monday afternoon, there was another delay during the pleas, when a friend of Jonathan Hope suffered a violent seizure in the courtroom. The friend was taken to hospital, said sheriffs.

The judge-only trial is scheduled to last two weeks.