La Ronge Provincial Court. File photo.
A Crown prosecutor in La Ronge says there was no likelihood of a conviction in a manslaughter case, so prosecutors had no choice but to stay the charges against a Sucker River woman.
Shawna Finlayson, 28, was accused in the death of 51-year-old Howard Glen Roberts in November of 2015. The Montreal Lake man was found dead in a home in Sucker River.
A two-day preliminary hearing into the charge was held in late July. Forensic experts and eight witnesses testified.
Prosecutor Greg Linden says there was not enough evidence to proceed.
“The evidence was inconclusive in relation to the culpability of the accused, Shawna Finlayson,” he said. “In these circumstances with no reasonable likelihood of conviction in the matter, public prosecutions had no choice but to direct a stay of proceedings.”
Linden says the family of Roberts was obviously disappointed. The Crown has a year to refile charges, but that is unlikely. This was the second manslaughter charge that has recently been stayed.
The other one was against 28-year-old Adrienne Linklater of Hatchet Lake. She was accused in the death of 24-year-old Jonathon St. Pierre of Wollaston Lake in January of 2015. Prosecutors have not yet provided a reason for the decision.