By Charles Lefebvre

Senator wants inquiry into Wendy Scott, Connie Oakes trial

Jan 18, 2017 | 11:51 AM

OTTAWA — A Canadian senator is calling for a public inquiry after Crown prosecutors stayed charges against a second woman accused in the death of a Medicine Hat man.

Senator Kim Pate wants an inquiry to look at the actions of police and the Crown in taking Wendy Scott and Connie Oakes to court. The pair were charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Casey Armstrong in May 2011.

“I think it’s in the interest of both the police and the prosecutors and the attorney general of the province to have an open and transparent review of what actually happened, to determine where things were done properly, and where they were not,” said Pate over the phone from Toronto.

Armstrong was found stabbed to death in the bathtub of his home. Scott pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, and then testified against Oakes, who was convicted on the same charge.

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In April 2016, the Alberta Court of Appeal ordered new trials for Oakes and Scott after Scott, who has an IQ of 50 and cognitive difficulties, recanted her confession and testimony.

The only evidence against Oakes came from Scott’s testimony. There was no forensic evidence or motive linking the two women to the killing. Oakes received a stay of proceedings later in April.

Pate previously called for an inquiry during her time as executive director of Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies, an advocacy organization for imprisoned women, and has met with both Oakes and Scott.  She says the public deserves to know what happened during the investigation and trial.

“All of these actions, what police do, what prosecutors do, what judges do, what courts in general and corrections do, is all done in our name, and with our tax dollars,” she said. “We’re all entitled to have an answer, both to try to figure out and remedy what happened to these two women and the family of the victim, but also to try and prevent it from happening to others in the future.”

The Crown stayed Scott’s charges on Friday, two weeks before her new trial was set to begin. Katherine Thompson, spokesperson for Alberta Justice, said the case against Scott has been re-assessed on a regular basis.

“In this particular case, the Crown evaluated both the likelihood of conviction and the public interest, and after doing so, the decision was made by the Crown to direct the stay of proceedings as it was felt to be in the best interests of justice to do so,” she said in a statement.

The charges could be reactivated up to a year later, and Medicine Hat police are re-examining the file.