CLASSIFIEDSADVERTISINGSPECIAL ISSUESSPORTSOBITUARIESNORTHERN JOBSTENDERS

ChateauNova

http://www.neas.ca/


NNSL Photo/Graphic


Canadian North

Home page text size buttonsbigger textsmall textText size Email this articleE-mail this page

Court briefs
Schell gets new trial date


Casey Lessard
Northern News Services
Published Monday, Oct 08, 2012

IQALUIT
South Baffin MLA Fred Schell has a new trial date for a charge relating to an alleged assault against his partner, Ezevallu Qatsiya.

That trial, set for two hours, is to go ahead Jan. 29, 2013. The trial was originally set for Aug. 7 in Iqaluit, but Schell's lawyer Patrick Smith fell ill and was replaced by Alison Crowe.

Schell, 60, and Qatsiya, 29, are accused of assaulting each other on April 10 at their Iqaluit home. At an earlier court date, Qatsiya's lawyer Malcolm Kempt said each complainant will testify in the other's trial. Qatsiya's trial is set for Nov. 19.

Translation problems cause Qikiqtarjuaq mistrial

More than halfway through a man's trial for historic sexual assault charges, Justice Earl Johnson declared a mistrial when it became clear some things were being lost in translation.

"We discovered there were problems with the interpretation," defence lawyer Malcolm Kempt told Chief Justice Robert Kilpatrick in Iqaluit Oct. 1. "Discussing it with the body of the court, we confirmed it was a problem."

"Everyone used the interpreter," Crown prosecutor John Solski said, underlining the extent of the problem.

Concerned about accommodations and other issues, Kilpatrick suggested the venue change to Iqaluit from Qikiqtarjuaq. The trial is set for Jan. 28, and lawyers will confirm their choice of venue at the man's next court date, Nov. 5.

Base-jumpers cleared

Three daredevils accused of illegally base-jumping off Mount Asgard in Pangnirtung's Auyuittuq Park have been cleared of charges after satisfying the terms of an agreement that required them to apologize.

The three men captured their free climb and jump from the mountain in The Asgard Project, a film for which they won international acclaim, including Best Film on Climbing at the 2010 Banff Mountain Film Festival. Parks Canada demanded the three men apologize and make a donation of $1,000 each. With the terms met, the Crown closed the case Oct. 1.

"Please mark all charges against these individuals withdrawn," prosecutor John Solski said in court in Iqaluit.

Korgak set to plead guilty

The Rankin Inlet man accused of second-degree murder after a hit-and-run incident is set to plead guilty, the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit heard Oct. 1. Idlout Korgak, 33, is accused of leaving the scene after Paul Kataluk was hit by an all-terrain vehicle July 9, 2011. Kataluk died of his injuries.

Korgak's lawyer was a no-show for the court date, but Crown prosecutor Barry McLaren said the case will not be proceeding to trial.

Kayaitok trial delayed

Saying the man has a right to be tried by "a jury of his peers, not a jury from his home community," Chief Justice Robert Kilpatrick said Bruce Kayaitok's second-degree murder trial could be held in Iqaluit for three weeks starting April 15. Kayaitok is charged in relation to the death of his common-law wife, Belinda Tootiak, in Kugaaruk on June 13, 2008.

Responding to comments that lawyers had considered bringing a jury from Kugaaruk to Iqaluit, Kilpatrick said, "that is not going to happen," adding he would consider a change of venue to a larger centre closer to Kugaaruk, such as Cambridge Bay.

He told lawyers to come to court Oct. 19 with a decision on where the trial will be held.

E-mailWe welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.