Woman accused in murder of Justin Crowe released on bail

A woman broke down in tears after hearing a judge had decided to release Tia Justice Pinacie-Little-chief, facing a charge of second-degree murder in the death of Justin Crowe.

“My baby’s gone,” the woman sobbed repeatedly before being helped out of the courtroom by family members.

After court, members of Pinacie-Little chief’ s family embraced each other while deputy sheriffs ensured no confrontation — as had unfolded at a previous court appearance — erupted between the two families.

A bail hearing began previously for Pinacie-Little-chief, Queen’s Bench Justice Darin Chow reserving his decision until Monday.

On Monday morning, he said he was satisfied he could release her, providing she agreed to follow a number of conditions. Chow pointed out that if she breaches the conditions, she could have her bail revoked until her case is dealt with in court.

Among conditions of her release are that she report each week to a bail supervisor and the RCMP; be on electronic monitoring; follow a curfew; stay within a 50-kilometre radius of her White Bear First Nation residence; not drink, use drugs or attend bars or liquor stores; not contact a number of named Crown witnesses; take part in assessments and/or programming as directed for anger management, mental health and addictions; and not possess weapons, including knives unless using one to eat or for work; among other conditions.

Details of evidence heard, submissions made, and the reasons for the judge’s decision cannot be reported because of a court-imposed publication ban.

According to information that was previously released by the RCMP, officers responded early in the morning of Oct. 27 to a call that a man had been stabbed at a residence on the Piapot First Nation. Pinacie-Littlechief was arrested later that day. Crowe was 27.