A tenth person charged in connection to the murder of Edmonton resident Tiki Brook-Lyn Laverediere appeared in North Battleford Provincial Court Sept. 1.
Samuel Takakenew, 36, was arrested in Edmonton on Aug. 26. The RCMP laid a charge of accessory after the fact to murder on Aug. 4 against Takakenew and issued a Canada-wide warrant for his arrest. He is the son of Mavis Quinn Takakenew who was also charged with accessory after the fact to murder.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Chris Browne confirmed that Mavis Takakenew was in the court gallery for her son’s appearance. In May she was sentenced to 18 months in prison. After credit for time served in custody while waiting for trial she only had four months and eight days left to serve.Samuel Takakenew is expected to be back in North Battleford Provincial Court on Sept. 18 at 11 a.m. via CCTV to speak to the matter.
Laverdiere was reported missing on May 12, 2019, and her body was found in a rural area near North Battleford in June. She was in Saskatchewan for a funeral.
RCMP made arrests in Saskatchewan and Alberta for Laverdiere’s murder. They charged Shayla Orthner, Danita Thomas, Brent Checkosis, Jesse Sangster, Nicole Cook, Soaring Eagle Whitstone, Nikita Sandra Cook, Mavis Quinn Takakenew, Charles St. Savard and Samuel Takakanew.
Witness count expected to hit 100
A defence lawyer appearing for Charles St. Savard in North Battleford Provincial Court on Aug. 28 told the court his client previously wanted to consent to go to trial at Battleford Court of Queen’s Bench but now wants to elect to be tried by judge and jury with a preliminary hearing.
Crown Prosecutor Chris Browne objected to a preliminary hearing for St. Savard saying he has a preliminary hearing scheduled next month for another co-accused and there are about 100 witnesses. Browne said in that case he might proceed by direct indictment against St. Savard.
The Crown can’t be challenged when asking for a direct indictment. Canada’s Criminal Code allows for a case to be sent directly to trial without a preliminary hearing. Direct indictment is only used in serious crimes and when it’s in the public interest. It can be used to avoid multiple proceedings where one person charged has been ordered to stand trial after a preliminary hearing and others are charged with the same offence.
A preliminary hearing is an evidentiary hearing held before there is a trial to determine if there is enough evidence to go to trial. For serious criminal charges a defence lawyer typically recommends a client elect to have a preliminary hearing because it serves as a strategy to set up a winning defence.
Judge Kevin Hill said a change in election forces an adjournment, adding that if a preliminary hearing were to go ahead for St. Savard the court would also have to find a judge without a conflict. The matter was adjourned to Sept. 18.
Jesse Sangster has a preliminary hearing set to start Sept. 28 in North Battleford Provincial Court. He pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, kidnapping and, improper interference with a human body.
Whitstone’s three-week preliminary hearing is set for November. She elected to be tried in Court of Queen’s Bench on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and improper interference with a human body.
Headed to trial
Proceedings at the provincial court level have wrapped up for Orthner, Nicole Cook and Nikita Cook with the matters now headed to Battleford Court of Queen’s Bench.
Orthner will stand trial on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and improper interference with a human body.
Nicole Cook will stand trial on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, improper interference with a human body and theft of motor vehicle.
Nikita Cook elected a judge and jury trial. It is scheduled for Jan 11 - March 5, 2021.
Two sentenced for their part
Earlier this year two of the 10 charged were sentenced for their part in Laverediere’s murder. Brent Checkosis was handed a seven-year prison sentence for accessory after the fact to murder. Mavis Quinn Takakenew was sentenced to 18 months on the same charge. ÌýThe court ordered a ban on publication on sentencing hearings for Checkosis and Takakenew until the trials of all the co-accused are finished.
The court also ordered a ban on publication on naming any of the witnesses.
-With files from John Cairns
Story updated Sept.2, 9:44 a.m.
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