Nunavut RCMP killing plea rejected

A Nunavut man accused of gunning down an RCMP officer has tried unsuccessfully to plead guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

The plea came as the trial began Monday for Pingoatuk Kolola, 39, of Kimmirut, who is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Const. Douglas Scott on Nov. 5, 2007.

Scott, 20, was investigating a report of an impaired driver in the Baffin Island community of 400 when he was shot while inside his parked police truck.

As the trial got underway Monday afternoon at the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit, Kolola and his lawyer, Andy Mahar, said they wished to enter a guilty plea to manslaughter.

Overwhelming evidence: Crown

But Crown prosecutor Susanne Boucher rejected that proposal, telling the court that evidence would overwhelmingly prove that Kolola intended to kill the police officer and therefore should be found guilty of first-degree murder.

During her opening statement to the court, Boucher said she planned to call 20 witnesses, 10 from Kimmirut.

The remaining 10 witnesses will consist of experts and RCMP officers involved in the case, Boucher said.

Some of the witnesses will testify that Kolola admitted killing the police officer, she said.

As well, she said the Crown will present evidence that a shell casing was found in the bathroom trash can at Kolola's home after he had surrendered to police.

Earlier on Monday, the court selected the remaining five jurors from a pool of 240 people.

Seven jurors from Kimmirut, who were chosen on Friday, have been flown to Iqaluit for the trial, which is expected to last two to three weeks.

Court officials have said the trial is taking place in Iqaluit because there is no appropriate venue for it in Kimmirut.