Jail sought for woman who brandished gun

The Crown is asking for a jail sentence for what it termed “dangerous and extremely frightening activity” involving a woman who brandished a gun in front of a group of 10-year-old girls.

But the woman’s defence lawyer is asking the court to impose a conditional sentence, arguing his client didn’t threaten anyone with the weapon before being apprehended by the parents of one of the girls.

At 24, Janaya Rachel Kinequon has a limited criminal record. She pleaded guilty at Regina Provincial Court on Friday to charges that include possession of a prohibited weapon, common assault, uttering threats and a breach of a release condition pertaining to weapons possession.

Court heard Kinequon was intoxicated when, on April 19, she approached a group of girls playing in an alley near Minto Street.

Crown prosecutor Shauna Silver said the girls saw Kinequon holding a handgun as she yelled at them to get out of there.

“Something ’s about to go down,” Kinequon reportedly told the girls.

The children ran to a neighbour’s for help, and police were called.

Before police arrived, the parents of one of the girls became involved.

Court heard they went to the alley and that the father saw Kinequon put a clip in the gun and put the weapon into her pants. Kinequon told the man “she was the law,” Silver said.

The father moved to detain Kinequon and suffered a significant injury in the process. Kinequon broke free and court heard she then hit the girl’s mother in the face, causing a goose egg on her head.

During the altercation, Kinequon threatened to kill the woman and her young daughter.

Police arrived to find the father holding Kinequon down. Kinequon

proved unco-operative with police, claiming the parents who apprehended her had planted the gun on her.

With some difficulty, police seized the gun, which was found to be unloaded.

In asking for an 18-month jail sentence, Silver told the court the incident “caused significant trauma to four girls,” and was “a terrifying set of circumstances” for them and the parents involved.

Silver said while the gun proved to be unloaded, none of the complainants would have known that at the time.

But defence lawyer Greg Wilson told the court it was his client who ultimately drew the short end of the stick.

He noted she sustained significant injuries during her apprehension by the father, requiring her hospitalization for a week.

In asking for a community-based sentence, Wilson argued Kinequon didn’t use the gun or threaten anyone with it during the course of

Something’s about to go down.

the incident.

Use of a gun during offences such as this typically precludes community-based sentences.

Wilson argued Kinequon hadn’t intended any threat when approaching the kids; rather, he claimed his client was effectively warning them away.

Kinequon briefly addressed the court, wiping tears away as she said, “I’m very sorry.”

Both Silver and Wilson used case law to bolster their positions, and Judge Lane Wiegers said he needed time to consider the matter before imposing sentence.

The case was set over to Wednesday for decision.