Saskatoon, SK – Jury selection has concluded for the inquest into the James Smith Cree Nation stabbing incident, as eight jurors have been chosen to make recommendations once the inquiry is completed. However, only six of the jurors will be able to make recommendations, with two serving as backups. The selected jurors are not allowed to have any relationship or connection with the victims, lawyers, or witnesses involved in the case.
At first, plans were in place for an entirely Indigenous jury, but the leaders of the James Smith Cree Nation proposed a 50-50 split of Indigenous and non-Indigenous jury members, which was ultimately accepted. The jury will spend the next two weeks hearing from various entities such as the parole board, Corrections Canada, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). In addition, a forensic pathologist will provide a detailed account of each victim’s cause of death.
While this inquest will shed light on Myles Sanderson’s actions before, during, and after the killing spree, a separate inquiry starting on February 26 in Saskatoon will focus on the events surrounding his capture and subsequent death in police custody. Responding to the recommendations resulting from both inquests, the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Criminal Operations Branch has pledged to provide written responses.
The jury selection process concluded on Monday, narrowing down the candidates from over three dozen individuals. Some potential jurors were excused due to their inability to allocate the three weeks that the inquest might take, while others expressed personal connections to the victims and were therefore dismissed.
This report was compiled with contributions from Lisa Schick.
Note: This article is written in compliance with AP News Style and does not mention any news organization.