Oromocto chief seeks jury trial on assault, break-in, obstruction charges

Oromocto First Nation Chief Shelley Sabattis wants to face a trial by judge and jury on charges related to an incident in April, when she and several other people allegedly broke into a home in the community and assaulted two people.

Sabattis appeared Wednesday before Fredericton provincial court Judge Natalie LeBlanc, alongside eight other people who are co-accused in the alleged crimes.

The nine are named in a four-count charge sheet for crimes allegedly committed in the community, also known as Welamukotuk, on April 29.

The first count alleges Sabattis, Nikia Sabattis, Aubrey Landry, Desirae Stevens, Drae Stevens, Joel Berrios, Shawn Sabattis-Atwin, Allan Sabattis-Atwin and Steven Sabattis broke into a home on Wolastoq Court and assaulted Anthony O'Blenis, causing bodily harm.

A second count alleges the same nine people broke into the same home and assaulted Sonya Atwin.

A third count alleges Steven Sabattis, Shawn Sabattis-Atwin and Aubrey Landry assaulted Anthony O'Blenis, and a fourth count alleges Shelley Sabattis obstructed RCMP Const. Raphaël Paquet in the execution of his duty.

Canada Post strike blamed for disclosure delays

Appearing by phone, Alex Pate, Sabattis's lawyer, told LeBlanc his client wanted to be tried by judge and jury with a preliminary inquiry.

Five other lawyers opted for the same, but three lawyers told the judge their clients were not yet ready to elect a mode of trial, prompting LeBlanc to adjourn the proceeding.

LeBlanc ordered the nine co-accused and their lawyers to return on Jan. 9 to formally record their election of mode of trial.

Before the proceedings were adjourned, Guillaume LeBlanc, lawyer for Nikia Sabattis, told LeBlanc he was still waiting for video evidence from the Crown as part of the disclosure package.

However, he said delivery of the CDs containing the video evidence had been delayed because of the strike by Canada Post employees.

Crown prosecutor Maurice Blanchard told the judge his office was in fact using Purolator to deliver the discs to the various defence lawyers, but that the company was "overwhelmed with the volume" of packages and having delays.

Blanchard to the judge it would take no longer than two weeks for those discs to be delivered to the defence lawyers.

"It will be hand delivered, if required, by our staff," Blanchard said.