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Vol. 8 • Issue 6
OK Tire claims slo-pitch crown See Page 12
Nelson accepts election challenge See Page 7
ur Street need yo lks along Hall as t, ec oj pr es The business fo or Stores To Sh e th g r, rin ke du Ba t suppor st end of ours on the ea hb sit ig vi ne d r an ei th in do Drop d Front Street. Vernon, Lake, an ction of retail, lle co t ea gr ’ ds oo rh ou the neighb venues! ng and service hospitality, dini
Starbelly Jammin’
There’s a color for everything that matters this summer.
East Shore’s Samba Lago Profundo, aka S.La.P., led the Starbelly Jam crowd in a giant parade which circled the festival grounds Sunday afternoon with a tribal feel. The group was founded in 2011 and has led the festival’s parade every year since. With feathers, sequins, drums and whistles, the energy was warm and inclusive. For more photos, see page 11.
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Decision reserved in police assault trial BILL METCALFE Nelson Star The assault trial of Nelson police officer Drew Turner wrapped up Friday with Judge Richard Hewson reserving his decision until later in the summer, stating that he needs time to review the evidence. “I would rather my decision be right than quick,” he said. The trial stemmed from an incident on May 1, 2014, when Turner knocked Tawny Campbell unconscious by punching her in the face while she was being taken into custody. Three of Turner’s colleagues at the Nelson Police Department testified against him during the trial. The main issue is whether Turner used justifiable or excessive force. The
prosecution and defence agreed on a number of circumstances, including: • Cst. Bill Andreaschuk called his department for back-up while having difficulty containing Campbell, whom he apprehended for wandering intoxicated in the traffic on Nelson Ave. near the orange bridge. Campbell is a Nelson-area woman in her early 20s. • While Andreaschuk was attempting to place Campbell into the back seat of his police vehicle, Turner, off-duty and in civilian clothes, arrived and went to assist him. • When on-duty constables Jarrett Slomba and David Laing arrived seconds later, they found Andreaschuk and Turner at opposite doors of the back seat of the vehicle struggling with Campbell, who was resisting
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and screaming, having already kicked Andreaschuk in the groin during the altercation. Together Andreaschuk and Turner handcuffed her in front of her body, while she was wedged partially on the floor with her legs outside the vehicle. • Turner, after yelling at Campbell to “shut up” several times, punched her with a full fist in the face, knocking her unconscious for 10 to 20 seconds. After he hit her, Turner said, “That will teach her to shut up.” • Turner then left, while the other officers took Campbell out of the car and sat her down on the sidewalk and called for medical attention, which Campbell refused, also refusing to be taken to the hospital. Her mother arrived and took her home.
Campbell testified she suffered a broken nose from the incident and had to have some scar tissue surgically removed from her mouth, but that she has no memory of the entire incident. Turner was the defence’s only witness. He testified that contrary to the testimony of Andreaschuk, Slomba, and Laing, Slomba did not attempt to intervene or assist him by walking up beside him, putting his hand in his shoulder and saying, “I’ve got this.” “He’s making it up,” Turner said. “He was not there.” He testified that he punched Campbell in the face after she was handcuffed because he felt he was being assaulted. Continued on page 4
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