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NEWS NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN PENTICTON WESTERN
COUNTDOWN TO THE GAMES
29 days
www.pentictonwesternnews.com
Vol. 50 Issue 08
WeDNesDAY, JANuARY 27, 2016
Family of slain woman relieved appeal denied Kristi Patton Western News Staff
Lynn would be dancing right now. There is An appeal by Keith Wiens, who such a relief that he will be staying where he is PENTICTON WESTERN was PENTICTON convicted of murdering hisWESTERN wife in their Penticton home in now, in prison.
NEWS NEWS
2011, was denied. “It is a huge relief,” said Brandy Cummings, daughter of the slain woman, Lynn Kalmring. “I can’t tell you how long I have been holding my breath. It is the first time I can really breathe since my mom died. It is everyone’s right to appeal, but to think it could have gone to a re-trial is just crazy. That was graphic stuff in the court room and I don’t think anyone needs to see that, or that I could even sit through it again.” Wiens, a retired RCMP officer, was found guilty by a jury of the second degree murder of his common law wife Kalmring. He shot his wife with a 9mm handgun in the head and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 13 years. Weeks after being found guilty in July 2013, he gave his no-
– Donna Irwin, sister of murdered woman Lynn Kalmring
tice of appeal on the conviction on a number of grounds. During the trial Wiens testified that an argument over a bet placed on a video game boiled over to other tensions in the relationship, including finances. He claimed Kalmring was drunk and after he fell asleep he was jarred awake to her hitting him. Wiens said he armed himself with a handgun because he feared for his life and later when she rushed at him with a knife that is when he shot her. At trial, Crown counsel suggested Wiens placed the knife in her hand after he killed her to strengthen his side of the events that he was
under attack. Expert witnesses for the Crown supported the suggestion by giving evidence that the knife found in Kalmring’s hand was placed there after her death. In the reasons for judgement on the appeal, Justice David Frankel said Wiens argued evidence of Kalmring’s peaceful disposition was improperly admitted at trial, and in the alternative, that the jury was improperly instructed with respect to the use of that evidence. As well, Wiens appealed the trial judge incorrectly ruled evidence given on police firearms training by an expert appearing for the defence was inadmissible.
Lynn KaLmring was killed by her common-law husband Keith Wiens in 2011. His appeal on conviction has been denied.
Submitted photo
Justice Frankel said evidence was properly admitted on Kalmring’s peaceful disposition and the firearms training evidence
was properly ruled inadmissible. Despite crying “happy tears” on Tuesday morning when given notice the appeal was denied, Cummings said her family still has more to face. A legal battle with Wiens is being fought in civil court and she is still waiting to get personal effects of Kalmring’s back. “There are things I would love to get back that were held in evidence like my mom’s ring. There were items that were my moms and have sentimental value to me that were all considered to be evidence and have been held since the appeal was put forward,” said Cummings. Other members of Kalmring’s family, including her sister Donna Irwin, said for now they will take the relief of knowing that Wiens next step could only be an appeal with the Supreme Court. “Lynn would be dancing right now,” Irwin told the Western News. “There is such a relief that he will be staying where he is now, in prison.”
more Syrian refugee families to arrive in Penticton and Summerland Dale Boyd Western News Staff
More than 50 per cent of Syria’s population is now displaced due to the ongoing civil war, making the Syrian refugee crisis the largest humanitarian crisis since the Second World War. Refugee initiatives throughout South Okanagan are aiming to bring five more Syrian refugee families, including a recently announced family of five, soon to be
six with another child due any minute, coming to Summerland and another two families expected to arrive in Penticton through a partnership with the Summerland refugee initiative. The City of Penticton has offered to partially take care of the transportation costs of the families in Penticton and provide free passes to the community centre, after a meeting was held to collaborate with the nine refugee groups, committees and initiatives in the South
Okanagan on Jan. 23. There is no concrete date as of yet on when the families will be arriving. The announcement of the new family coming to Summerland was made during a fundraising event for the Summerland Refugee Sponsorship Group held at the Summerland Waterfront Resort on Jan. 22. Attending were Syrian refugee families already located in the South Okanagan, the Albetars, who arrived in Summerland in March
2015 and the Al Lwisi family who arrived in Oliver on Dec. 7, 2015. In an interview with the Penticton Western News, Mohammad Al Lwisi and his wife Nesreen Nemeh were joined by the Hussam Albetar and his wife Nadya Alsagher in a suite at the Summerland Waterfront Resort during the fundraising event, with Ayman Kanaan, a member of the refugee initiative and resident arabic translator, translating the questions and answers. For the Al Lwisi family it is
“much easier” adapting to a new country and a new life with another family from Syria in the Okanagan. “It’s very good. We like it and if there are more it’s even better,” Mohammad said. The families spent time together over the holidays as the Al Lwisi family is still acclimating to Canada. It has made adjusting easier for the children of both families as well. See REFUGEES on PG.3
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