No murder charge in random assault of elderly woman

The woman who allegedly violently assaulted an elderly victim outside the Saskatoon police station is not going to be charged with murder.

Debbie Okemahwasin, 38, is charged with aggravated assault on Violet Tarala, 83, who died in hospital four weeks after the attack on Sept. 16.

The Crown had been considering whether to charge Okemahwasin for Tarala’s death, but prosecutor Frank Impey said Wednesday that would not be happening.

“The Crown was considering further charges … and we’ve decided on all the evidence to keep the charges as they are framed,” he said in court, where Okemahwasin made a brief appearance Wednesday.

Based on the pathologist’s report, the Crown wasn’t in a position to prove Okemahwasin caused Tarala’s death, Impey said in an interview.

“As a result, we cannot proceed with murder charges.”

According to witnesses, Tarala was walking during the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 16, on the 100 block of Fourth Avenue North when a woman approached her, pushed her to the ground and kicked her. Police said Tarala and the attacker were not known to each other.

The woman then entered police headquarters and turned herself in, shouting she had just assaulted someone outside.

Police found Tarala in- jured on the sidewalk nearby. She was taken to hospital with serious but non-lifethreatening injuries. She died in hospital on Oct. 13.

When Okemahwasin was being booked into detention, she allegedly kicked a police officer. She was charged with aggravated assault on Tarala and with assaulting a police officer.

On Wednesday, Okemahwasin indicated in court she was prepared to plead guilty to the charges, but her defence lawyer said he hadn’t yet seen the autopsy results and wanted some time to consider a sentencing position. Judge Marty Irwin said he wasn’t prepared to accept a guilty plea under those circumstances and agreed to adjourn the case to Jan. 9.