Kent Driscoll
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Oct 24/05) - Almost three years to the day her daughter was killed, Nicotye Naglingniq isn't any closer to learning the truth.

On Dec. 6, 2002, Jennifer Naglingniq was found dead in the apartment she shared with her mother and their German Shepherd.

One man was arrested two weeks after the killing, but charges were dropped nine days later because of a lack of evidence.

In March 2003, another man, Mark King Jeffrey, was arrested and charged with first degree murder.

He was moved to a prison in the south shortly after. He was brought to Iqaluit for a preliminary hearing in January 2004 and it was delayed until March 2004.

The prosecution explained they were busy with the trial of a man accused of killing an RCMP officer in Cape Dorset.

After his preliminary hearing at the end of March 2004, Jeffrey was scheduled for trial this month.

It was delayed again last week because the defence wanted more time to prepare.

His trial has now been scheduled for September 2006.

Evidence in the case is subject to a publication ban, and the details of the crime cannot be reported.

The waiting is tearing Naglingniq apart.

She moved to Ottawa for the first time in 2003, to try and escape the vision of her daughter lying dead in their Iqaluit home, but distance hasn't helped.

"It's hard for me (in Iqaluit), especially seeing her friends. When I see them, I expect to see her, too," said Naglingniq.

"I'm always back and forth. I moved there to get away from the pain, but I move back," said Naglingniq.

He latest move to Ottawa took place last June.

Naglingniq is left staring at the ceiling during long sleepless nights. She just doesn't sleep, the image of her daughter still haunts her at night.

Naglingniq has sought medical help with sleeping, but sleeping medication takes its toll, too. She has given up the medication and still doesn't sleep well.

"I think about it all the time, it has been torture for me waiting this long," said Naglingniq.

Naglingniq is hurt by the delay, but not completely surprised.

"The Crown called me a couple of days after (the latest delay). I've come to expect the delays. The Crown warned me that the trial would be in 2006, but I didn't expect it to be at the end of 2006," she said.

Grief over losing her child is still at the surface, but another emotion is filling Naglingniq's heart these days. Her first response to the latest delay was anger.

"It's been delayed so many times. It's going to be four years by the time the trial starts," said Naglingniq.

Naglingniq wants to move forward with her life, but the marathon of court appearances keeps bringing her back to that dark moment in 2002.

"It's been torture for me waiting this long. Postponing it is reopening the wounds. You can't exactly start healing, you can't get closure," said Naglingniq.

She has one message for the justice department, the courts and the rest of the legal system.

"I want them to know it has been hard on me. They should think about the torture I go through. I want some closure," said Naglingniq.