Cape Dorset (June 11/03) - A date has been set for Salamonie Jaw of Cape Dorset to go trial almost three years after he was charged with killing an RCMP officer.

His trial will begin in the South Baffin community on January 27. It is expected to last about three weeks.

Jaw was charged with the first degree murder of Const. Jurgen Seewald.

The constable was shot and killed in Cape Dorset on March 5, 2001 while responding to a domestic dispute at the Jaw residence.

Seewald was 47 years old and a 26-year RCMP veteran. Jaw has been in custody since the shooting.

In April, Crown lawyers made an application to have the trial held outside of Jaw's home community but the request was denied by a Nunavut judge.