Edmonton police are publicly calling out Alberta Crown prosecutors and demanding a possible plea deal be scrapped in a move criminal trial lawyers liken to extortion.
Police, in a letter provided to media Tuesday, express “shock and horror” in learning the Crown agreed to accept a guilty plea for manslaughter from a woman charged with first-degree murder in the blunt-trauma death of an eight-year-old girl.
The letter says a manslaughter plea would see a significantly lesser sentence of eight years for the woman, who was 27 when she was charged.
“What we expect from the Crown — what you and the public should expect — is that the Crown is a zealous advocate for justice. Unfortunately, so far, we have not seen that in this case,” says the letter, dated Monday. It was sent by interim police chief Warren Driechel to the assistant deputy minister in charge of Crown prosecutors, Kim Goddard.
The police service, in what it calls an “extraordinary step,” asks Goddard to review the case and put a stop to a plea deal.
“To allow this plea deal to go ahead would bring the administration of justice into disrepute and constitute a significant miscarriage of justice,” the letter says.
It also says the service will release information if a plea deal goes through.
“We will share significant information from our investigation with the public so that they can properly assess whether this prosecution and plea agreement were conducted appropriately and advocate in the public forum for a stronger prosecution service,” it says.
Police add they’ve become “frequently aghast” with prosecutorial decisions.
The body of the eight-year-old was found in the back of a truck on the Samson Cree Nation in Maskwacis, south of Edmonton, in 2023.
The girl and the accused can’t be named under a publication ban, but police say in the letter their investigation uncovered evidence of significant child abuse and that a light sentence would constitute a miscarriage of justice.
Michelle Davio at the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement every accused person has the right to a fair trial.
“Public commentary on a matter that is currently before the courts can risk prejudicing this right,” Davio said, noting it would be inappropriate for the prosecution service or the Justice Ministry to comment on a case before the courts.
In total, five people were charged in relation to the girl’s death.
Two men pleaded guilty this summer to causing an indignity to a body and were sentenced to nearly three years in prison. They were given credit for time served and released.
Two others are charged with being an accessory to murder and causing an indignity to a body.
Police have said at least three of the accused were known to the victim.
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