No charges to be laid in freezing death of Sask. aboriginal man
CBC News | Posted: July 27, 2001 8:18 PM | Last Updated: July 27, 2001
The Saskatchewan Justice Department has decided not to lay charges in the case of an aboriginal man who froze to death.
It is one of several cases investigated by the RCMP after some people blamed city police for the deaths.
On Thursday, Saskatchewan's justice minister announced he has ordered a coroner's inquest into the death of Lawrence Wegner.
- FROM Feb. 20, 2000: RCMP investigating two more deaths in Saskatoon
Wegner's partially clothed body was found in field south of the city's landfill on Feb. 3, 2000. He was last seen alive a few days earlier.
Wegner had been drinking heavily and the police were called when he caused a disturbance. A witness says he saw Wegner being pushed into a police cruiser.
Wegner's brother Wayne wants to know how he ended up on the outskirts of the city.
"My family, we're not out for blood," said Wegner. "We just want answers."
The vice-chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations said a coroner's inquest isn't enough to solve the mystery.
"Common sense tells us this young fellow didn't walk out there," said Lawrence Joseph.
"Somebody knows something that they're not telling." Joseph says he wants to know what happened and who is responsible.
But the President of the Saskatoon Police Association says the justice minister's decision further vindicates the department.
"It really means that the police weren't involved in it," said Al Stickney.
The RCMP task force was originally called to incidents involving seven aboriginal men. Two cases remain.