Protest planned outside Hants County Courthouse
WINDSOR — The stepmother of a young man who died following a car crash in June is organizing a protest to raise awareness of what she perceives to be a bias in the court system.
Still mourning the loss of
22- year- old Dashonn Jordell States, who died on June 22, his stepmother Nicole States has turned her attention to planning a protest. About 50 people have already expressed an interest in demonstrating outside the Hants County Courthouse in Windsor today, she says. States said she feels the 25- year- old man charged with driving the vehicle that Dashonn States was travelling in when it crashed on Bog Road should never have been released on bail. Andrew Blaine Rafuse, of Lower Vaughan, is charged with impaired driving, criminal negligence causing death, dangerous driving causing death and failing to stop at the scene of a crash. These charges are in relation to a Mount Denson car crash that killed Dashonn and sent two others – a 20- year- old woman and a 16- year- old girl – to hospital with non- lifethreatening injuries. Rafuse appeared in Windsor court June 23 and received a conditional release on his own $ 1,000 non- cash recognizance. The Crown Dashonn States did not oppose his release. He is due in court today for election and plea. The protest will occur at 9: 30 a. m. that day, States said. “Andrew was released from custody, and the Crown prosecutor did not even try to oppose his release. He did not even ask for a show cause hearing. It was difficult to tell whether he represented Dashonn/ Windsor or ( the defendant) Andrew,” said States, in an email, about why she’s upset.