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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A Whati man who pleaded guilty to a charge of operating a vehicle while impaired was given 40 days in jail on Tuesday.

Michel Romie was arrested by RCMP on Aug. 22 after his vehicle was blocking a residential driveway and police were called. He then drove down Woolgar and Williams avenues and was stopped by RCMP.

"Romie's speech," said Himmelman, "was so severely slurred the officer asked him three times to repeat himself."

He said Romie's "extreme intoxication" at the police detachment caused him to "nearly miss his seat."

"You know better than this," Bourassa told Romie.

Romie, who has four previous convictions relating to impaired driving, was given 40 days in jail as well as a three-year driving prohibition.

"Don't drink and drive," warned the judge.

Murder case awaits forensic reports

Doris Kendi, 58, the woman facing a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the death of her sister, is out on bail and was not required to appear for her court date on Tuesday. Her lawyer, Hugh Latimer, appeared on her behalf.

Crown attorney John McFarlane asked for an adjournment to Jan. 13 to set a date for the preliminary inquiry.

"We're awaiting forensic reports and blood spatter reports," said McFarlane.

He said those reports would likely be key evidence for the Crown's case. Judge Michel Bourassa granted the adjournment. Lorraine Bonnetplume, 52, was found unresponsive by her husband on June 27 in a cabin outside Yellowknife along Highway 3.

Man in custody facing seven counts of fraud

A man facing 10 criminal charges, seven of them for fraud, had his case adjourned as his attorney awaits further disclosure.

The man has yet to enter pleas to multiple criminal charges. The fraud charges stem from incidents between Feb. 17 and March 4, 2005.

"There is a videotape that forms a critical part of the Crown's case," said Crown prosecutor Mike Himmelman on Tuesday.

He told the court the defence did not yet have a copy of the video. Bourassa granted an adjournment to Nov. 25 and the man was taken back into police custody.