THURSDAY
Page 8
DECEMBER 11, 2014
Road to the Brier Tom Buchy rink wins interregional playdowns; Now off to Provincials Inside Walmar t
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Vol. 63, Issue 238
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Guilty as charged: 2nd degree murder verdict for Learn TRE VOR CR AWLEY Townsman Staff
Cheyenne Learn was found guilty of second-degree murder by Justice Dev Dley to conclude his trial in the shooting death of Tammy Ellis in December 2007. Learn was previously
convicted of second degree murder in his first trial in 2009, but that was overturned on appeal in 2013 and he was awarded a new trial. Second degree murder carries a life sentence, but crown and defence counsel
will appear before Dley again in January to argue parole eligibility, which generally ranges anywhere from 10-25 years. Dley made his judgement following an analysis of credibility of the evidence and testimony submitted by all
the witnesses during the trial. “Mr. Learn shot and killed Tammy Ellis,” said Dley, as he opened his ruling. “The issue is whether it was second-degree murder or manslaughter.” He concluded elements
of testimony from Learn and from his ex-girlfriend were unreliable. The ex-girlfriend’s name is protected by a publication ban and will be referred to as B.L. He said there were discrepancies from the first trial to this past one in regards to
testimony from B.L. and Learn noting that it is unrealistic to assume that memory gets better with time. Dley also said that B.L. was evasive and argumentative during her questioning, and had misled police in her statement to police describing the nature of her absences from the residence in which she trafficked cocaine. Dley also noted inconsistencies in Learn’s testimony, noting that there were additional details his version of events that weren’t on record in the first trial.
See GUILTY, Page 4
Forest fire sizes may double in 65 years ARNE PETRYSHEN Townsman Staff
BARRY COULTER PHOTO
A semi left Highway 3/95 around midnight Tuesday night, seven kilometres west of Cranbrook. Road conditions were icy according to nearby residents. No injuries were reported.
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The size of forest fires we see in the Southern Interior could double in the next 65 years according to the province. The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations released a report on climate change adaptation for wildlife management. The report noted that severe future wildlife conditions as a result of climate change are predicted for this region based on an temperature increase of four degrees celsius by 2080. That includes: • increased fire size, doubling from an average of 7,961 ha to 19,076 ha;
See FOREST FIRES, Page 3
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