106th Year - Week 13
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
www.interior-news.com
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PM 40007014
JUNIOR SQUASH Smithers youth are getting into the swing of squash.
SPORTS/A13
BVRC AWARDS The BVRC recognized outstanding member contributions.
COMMUNITY/A19
SLOOOOOW MOTION IMPROV Teo Saefkow, feigns injury during an improv skit about slow motion jazzercize last Thursday at the Della Herman Theatre. Saefkow was one of a dozen Smithers secondary school students who put on an evening of improv to raise funds for the Drama Department. For more photos see p. A27. Percy N. Hébert photo
Crown drops charge against Wilson By Jerome Turner Smithers/Interior News
S.O. SPEED DEMON Luke Smith is speeding to greatness.
OUR TOWN/A21
INSIDE LETTERS A7 SPORTS A13 COMMUNITY A19 OUR TOWN A21 THREE RIVERS B1 CLASSIFIEDS B5
Crown counsel has dropped the charge of obstructing a police officer against Lena Wilson. The charge was laid following Wilson’s arrest by Constable Kevin Mack, New Hazelton RCMP, during Thanksgiving weekend 2012. Wilson, who is attending the social worker program at Northwest Community College in Terrace, is still pursuing charges against Const. Mack. Early Oct. 7, 2012, Wilson was walking home with a classmate from a wedding dance at Gitanmaax Hall, near Old Hazelton, when she was allegedly abruptly thrown to the ground by Const. Mack
without warning. Wilson was subsequently charged with obstruction of a police officer for allegedly struggling during the arrest, during which Mack allegedly struck Wilson while she was pinned face down resulting in one of Wilson’s teeth being broken after making contact with the asphalt road. “I’m relieved the charges have been dropped,” Wilson said, explaining a criminal record would have prevented her from pursuing a career as a social worker. “But I still feel violated and want to seek justice for what happened to me.” For Wilson, justice would be a finding of guilt on the charge of excessive use of force and unlawful arrest against Const. Mack. Crown counsel, Brett
Weber shed light on the reason Wilson is no longer facing a criminal charge. “Since the initial charge assessment we received additional information from the ongoing investigation,” Weber said. “We concluded there was no substantial likelihood of conviction based on recently gathered witness statements and evidence.” Now, two barriers prevent Wilson from pressing charges against the RCMP officer. First, the New Hazelton RCMP detachment did not request the involvement of the Independent Investigation Office of B.C. (IIO), a civilianled organization mandated to investigate police-involved incidents where death or harm occurred. See WILSON on p. A4
Lena Wilson is looking to press charges against New Hazelton RCMP Const. Kevin Mack.
Cuisinart see page A-28
Contributed photo
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