First-degree murder convictions in Douglas killing being appealed

Three men found guilty in the beating death of Shawn Douglas are looking to appeal their convictions and life sentences.

Johnathon Nelson Peepeetch, 26, Dennis Calvin Thompson, 35, and Joshua Duane Wilson, 27, were each convicted at the end of June of first-degree murder in the Aug. 7, 2014 death.

This week, all three filed appeals with the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, asking that their convictions be quashed and a new trial ordered.

The men, through their respective lawyers, referenced a number of grounds of appeal, among them that the judge erred in the manner she allowed prejudicial evidence before the jury; that she didn’t adequately instruct the jury on appropriate lesser included offences — such as attempted murder — or circumstantial evidence; that she didn’t allow an adjournment to enable mental health assessments to be prepared on Thompson and Peepeetch, focusing on the night in question — which defence suggests would have gone to intent; and that she allowed gang evidence to be tendered in relation to Thompson and Peepeetch; among other grounds.

Should the province’s highest court decide a new trial is merited, all three men want it to be heard by a judge and jury.

Jurors spent approximately 67 hours sequestered before they reached a verdict in the case on the day before the July long weekend.

During the trial, which lasted close to six weeks, jurors listened to and looked at difficult and sometimes gruesome evidence pertaining to Douglas’s death in a bush near Zehner. Court heard Douglas was targeted for robbery by a number of people, including some who were members of the Native Syndicate street gang.

Witnesses said Douglas was held against his will and was eventually forced into the trunk of a car and taken out of town where the 54-year-old pipefitter was beaten to death with his own tools.