NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN
www.pentictonwesternnews.com
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news
Cabbies unhappy with Coyote
VOL. 47 ISSUE 60
15
B1 page
FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013
B2
entertainment Much Ado About Shake-
sports Former Vees Bennett invited to
speare for local troupe
GUILTY:
Motocross a family affair
U.S. Olympic hockey camp
Weins convicted of second-degree murder in death of Lynn Kalmring
NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN sat holding hands waiting for and when she left the room Kristi Patton Western News Staff
Keith Wiens sobbed tears into a tissue on Wednesday talking about his commonlaw spouse who he was found guilty of killing, shooting her in the head with a handgun. But for the family of Lynn Kalmring the almost two years they’ve had to wait for the day his verdict would be heard, his emotional outpour meant nothing. “He was shaking and sobbing, it just was such a show,” said Donna Irwin, sister of the dead woman. “He said how much he loved Lynn and he remembers going on a motorbike ride with her and her blond hair blowing in the wind. Oh my god, it was just pathetic. It was all for him. He never once spoke of remorse. He was crying for himself because he is going away for a long time.” While the family spoke throughout the trial of feeling Kalmring’s presence in the Kelowna courthouse, as they
the decision made by the 12 jurors there was no doubt she was with them. “She was there. All of the sisters got a small urn of Lynn’s ashes. One was wearing hers inside a locket on a necklace. My other sister had them in the small urn and we made sure Lynn was there to hear the verdict,” said Irwin. Wiens, a former RCMP officer once posted at the Summerland detachment, will have to serve at least 13 years in prison. Justice Geoff Barrow said on Thursday he did not believe Wiens testimony, stating the murder was “impulsive” and came from a mix of anger and alcohol. It was in August 2011 that Wiens called 911 stating that he shot his wife and it was a “big, huge mistake” and “something got out of hand here tonight.” He testified that Kalmring had got into an argument with him and he told her to sleep in a separate room. He said he was later awoken to her beating him up
again he armed himself with a 9mm handgun. It was when he was faced with her again coming at him, this time with a knife, that he said he shot her in the head and she fell to the floor. The jury did not believe his story. Wiens has spent the past 18 months in protective custody while awaiting trial. This keeps him behind bars for all but about two hours a day. He will not be able to apply for parole for 13 years. “His freedom is over. I don’t care if my sisters and I are in our 80s and 90s when those parole hearings come up, we will be at every single one to make sure the monster doesn’t get out,” said Irwin. “This doesn’t bring back Lynn but he is paying for what he has done” Irwin said she and her sisters had victim impact statements prepared to read in court which had a heavy presence of sheriffs on hand
Wednesday, but the justice never asked them to speak. When offered her chance to share, Irwin instead deferred to one of the last emails Kalmring sent out en masse to the family. It was dated Jan. 1, 2011. “She said what a strong family we were and how some may call us not normal, but to her we are and we always go through trials and tribulations. Sometimes we laugh when we want to cry and we seem to go through all these hardships and come out the other end as a strong family. “Happiness and family mean everything to her. She sent out an email every New Year’s Day to show how she felt and her resolution. That year it was for there to be happiness and peace,” said Irwin. The family is now getting ready to launch a civil lawsuit against Wiens, who shared the townhouse in Penticton with Kalmring and another property in Arizona.
KEITH WIENS was found guilty of second degree murder in the death of his common-Law wife Lynn Kalmring. File photo
Since she was murdered the family has not had access to either of the properties to recover many of Kalmring’s personal effects. Irwin said the past two years have been especially difficult for Kalmring’s two children, one
of whom lives in Penticton and feared running into him when he initially was released on bail. He later was arrested and charged with a breach of conditions, his trial for that is still pending.
Louie applying for mistrial on sexual assault Kristi Patton
Western News Staff
A South Okanagan man who was found guilty of a gruesome sex assault is applying for a mistrial.
In February Crown counsel was prepared to proceed with sentencing of Brian Douglas Louie, however, the court heard the Oliver man was in process of finding a new lawyer,
having discharged the one who led him through the trial. Louie, 34, was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault and assault causing bodily harm for an attack that
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took place on May 20, 2012 at a house on the Osoyoos Indian Band where he bit a woman’s genitals and beat her up. In his defence, Louie said the bite was an accident when he
testified at the trial. On Monday, Louie applied for a mistrial on the grounds there was a conflict of interest with his previous lawyer James Pennington. In the application
Louie states that one of the witnesses crossexamined was a client of Pennington’s. Crown counsel argued that Louie only let it be known he was not pleased with his
representation after he was found guilty of the charges. Louie still has not been sentenced for the two convictions and is expected to return to court in September.
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