Jury selected for New Brunswick coroner's inquest into 2020 police killing of Rodney Levi
In a makeshift courtroom in Miramichi, N.B., five jurors were sworn in to participate in an inquest surrounding the death of Rodney Levi at the hands of the RCMP.
"It's a fact-finding mission -- a fact-exposing or revealing mission, so the public will know what actually happened," said John Evans, the presiding coroner in the inquest. He says over the coming days, the jury -- made up of two men and three women -- will hear from about 27 witnesses including members of the RCMP.
"We’ll learn from what we observe and find out during the course of this process, were there any shortfalls, was there anything that could be done differently in the future that could prevent this kind of case happening," Evans said.
The 48-year-old Levi, who was of the Metepenagiag First Nation, was shot and killed by RCMP on the evening of June 12th, 2020.
Police say they were responding to a call of an unwanted man in a home in Sunny Corner, N.B., adding when police arrived, they were confronted by a man who was carrying knives.
Levi’s killing came eight days after an Edmundston, N.B., police officer shot and killed Chantel Moore, a 26-year-old Indigenous woman, during a wellness check.
The two killings sparked dismay and anger in the province's Indigenous community along with demands for a full inquiry.
The incident was investigated by Quebec’s police watchdog, the "Bureau des Enquetes Independent," (BEI) which submitted its report to New Brunswick prosecutors in December 2020. No criminal charges were laid on any of the officers involved.
"We were never told anything," said Rhoda Levi, Rodney Levi’s sister. "BEI said they were going to tell us the information but we were never told anything."
Initially, 200 people were summoned for the inquest, but only five will make up the jury.
Kenneth Francis, an elder from the Elsipogtog First Nation, is working as an independent consultant during the hearing to assist with the jury selection. Evans says given the nature of the hearing, his goal is to help highlight indigenous representation and knowledge.
Members of Levi’s family were also in the makeshift courtroom today, along with the family’s lawyer, Alisa Lombard.
Of the five jury members selected, two are of Indigenous decent and one is married into an Indigenous family – representation that Levi’s family is happy to see.
"I was nervous," said Rhoda Levi. "I was looking around the room and I was just looking to have First Nation representation today because our First Nations people, we don’t always get a win."
Once the inquest is complete, recommendations to try and prevent similar incidents in the future will be submitted to all involved parties before then being sent to legislature for consideration.
"The implementation is the big thing," said Rhoda Levi. "I hope that the government does everything they could do to really implement that no one else is shot and killed by the RCMP."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Woman, 18, killed by co-worker's vehicle on Highway 1 in Moose Jaw
Moose Jaw police say an 18-year-old woman who was at work has died from injuries she sustained in a collision with a vehicle being driven by her co-worker last Thursday.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
MPs to vote on NDP motion calling on Canada to recognize Palestinian statehood
Members of Parliament will vote Monday on a motion from the federal New Democrats, calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine,' among a range of other calls to action in regards to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.