Stanley’s hearing on gun charges delayed
After a hearing that lasted only a few minutes, Saskatchewan farmer Gerald Stanley is now scheduled to return to court next month on firearm-related charges dating back to the day he fatally shot Colten Boushie.
Stanley was not in North Battleford provincial court for the brief hearing Monday and his defence lawyer, Scott Spencer, appeared by phone. The matter was adjourned until April 16 after prosecutor Chris Browne told court the Crown needs more time to prepare.
Stanley faces two charges related to unsafe storage of firearms. The first relates to the improper storage of six non-restricted weapons and the second relates to the improper storage of a restricted firearm.
None of the charges relates to the Tokarev semi-automatic pistol that fired the shot that killed Boushie on Aug. 9, 2016.
A jury found Stanley not guilty of murder in connection with Boushie’s death last month. Although there was no dispute that Stanley caused the young man’s death, Stanley told the jury the fatal shot was an accident. He said he grabbed his Tokarev pistol to fire warning shots in the air after Boushie and his friends trespassed on his land. The defence argued that the fatal bullet discharged from the gun as a result of a hang fire — a rare phenomenon where there is a delay between when the trigger is pulled and when the gun goes off.
Stanley ’s acquittal was met with anger, sadness and disbelief by Boushie’s family, many Indigenous people and others, who argued the case was proof that Indigenous people are not treated fairly by Canada’s justice system.
Although they lobbied vocally for an appeal, the Crown announced this month that it found no grounds for an appeal.
Members of Boushie’s family gathered at court Monday holding posters with slogans that expressed dismay over the not guilty verdict.
Debbie Baptiste, Boushie’s mother, sat in the snow beside neon-pink signs that read “Blood’s on your hands Gerald Stanley ” and “RCMP covered it up!!”
“The injustice in Saskatchewan for the First Nation people — it’s like shame on you Canada. C’mon people, you let a murderer walk away,” she told media.
Jace Boushie, Colten’s brother, and Alvin Baptiste said they have no faith that Stanley will face any repercussions for the events of Aug. 9, 2016.
“He’ll probably get out of it … No doubt in my mind,” said Jace Boushie, Colten’s brother.
Boushie’s uncle, Alvin Baptiste, said he was sure another “injustice” would be served in North Battleford.
“Most likely it’ll just be swept under the rug like the other charges,” he said.
In the days after Stanley’s acquittal, Boushie’s family travelled to Ottawa to share their story with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Hundreds of people gathered in demonstrations across the country to call for an overhaul of the justice system, including the way juries are selected.
Trudeau has long promised changes to the justice system, but Linda Whitford, Debbie Baptiste’s aunt and one of those who gathered outside the courthouse on Monday, told media she’s not confident things will improve for Indigenous people any time soon.