Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 6, 2001, Winnipeg, Manitoba A12 local Winnipeg free March 2001 teens mom gives emotional testimony at his landmark murder trial court hears marital horror Story by Paul Mckee her husband cheated on sold was a substance abuser and beat her her son now stands trial for murder ing him with an aluminium baseball a widow and Mother testified under unusual and emotional circumstances at her sons second degree murder the landmark trial is the first in which a Manitoba youth has been tried by a jury under changes to the Young offenders the allegedly beat his 32 year old Stepfather to death in july 1999 at Little Saskatchewan first nation near about 250 Kilometres Northwest of the victim and the Mother cannot be As it would identify the the trial became unique in another Way yesterday when court of Queens Bench Justice Wallace Darichuk called the woman to usually Only lawyers Call witnesses for their respective the move allowed both the Crown and defence lawyers to Cross examine the usually a judge Doest ask ques this is Only the second time in 30 years Ive done Darichuk said to the witness and the the woman testimony was a Litany of abuse and played out in front of her including the Darichuk repeated almost every answer the woman gave because her voice was so quiet As she recalled the events of the Day her husband was slain and her son arrested for second degree Darichuk recessed court twice because the woman broke Down on the her son never taking his eyes off her As she tearfully left the she testified that she and her Hus band fought usually Over other women or her husband saw other women at least three times a month and cheated on her As Many As 40 times during their 13year he grew marijuana and smoked it he frequently threatened to kill her and the and he beat she said the fights were on at least two she called police and he was she never Testi defence lawyer Darren Sawchuk asked her what her husband had told her whenever he beat that he would kill she replied the Day her husband was slain he again had beaten she said she did it recall much because she was he locked her in their bedroom i and then she remembers hearing she ran out of the room and saw her husband lying on the with family members looking despite the years of the woman testified she missed her Hus band and still loved the trial March to March 11 save up to 25 on All Beau Mark major appliances j n i Ess Sale save do not Payfor 7 full year for 4 7j i r mud Uusi Yigui i o o o Eniece and i your Bay Dit the retail formats of Hudson Bay company the Home Zellers and Welters select will now accept say and Zellers credit cards in All retail locations for All some exceptions May shop when you shopping is Good the Reward Miles Are awarded based on cumulative excluding trademark of air International trading used under License by loyalty management group Canada and the Hudson Bay downtown parking free with sunday parking All Day province gives Cash to help inner City the provincial government will spend on eight Community based pro Grams aimed at improving intercity there will be Money for capital improvements to daycare hous ing and initiatives targeting a risk the Best ideas for neighbourhood Revi come from within the Community said intergovernmental affairs minister Jean Friesen at a news conference yesterday at the Andrews Street family the Northend Centre will receive for a youth leadership program designed to give teens an alternative to Dilly executive director of the said about a dozen youth have already signed they held a Valentines Day dance which attracted about 70 Young Dirk said the program keeps him off the it keeps me out of said the program is open to Young people who live in the William Whyte neighbourhood and Are 14 to 24 years other projects receiving Money include i crossway in common for a basement renovation which will provide space at the West Broadway Centre for education and recreation i Westminster Day care to expand the Centre and make it wheel chair i Art City enhancement to enhance the exterior of the Art City i Broadway broadcaster to pro Duce two issues of a Community based newspaper in the West Broadway neigh i Community housing plan to develop sustainable housing such As a housing database in the William lord Selkirk Park and North Point Douglas i revitalization strategy to develop a Model for neighbourhood i Day Nursery Centre renovations to expand the Flora Avenue the project involves the Addi Tion of a two level Wing which will pro vide space for children with fetal alcohol crackdown on false hit and runs paying off by Bruce Owen a joint City police and Manitoba Public insurance crackdown on false hit and run claims is paying off after Only three months of Mph spokesman John Douglas said the participation of four police officers has seen the number of fraudulent claims go Down since the program started traffic Bob Irwin said More peo ple Are being charged with leaving the scene of an Accident without reporting it seven people were formally charged last Friday a lot of people dont see this As Douglas they dont see it hurting but the reality is the Premium payers pay for Douglas said since the initiative began i Landrun claims have been made with 879 or 70 per cent being 186 claims ended up being no shows after claimants found out they be interviewed by As 20 claims were 19 with drawn and 30 people changed their admitting the vehicle damage want caused by a Irwin said seven As Young As 24 years old and As old As were charged Friday with leaving the scene of an Accident when it was determined they submitted false the amount of hit and runs in this City is Irwin people Are just trying to avoid Douglas said i Landrun claims Cost Mph about million there Are roughly 550 such claims a Irwin said most of these claims Origi Nate in parking where a Driver backs up into another but leaves without reporting it and later claims the damage was caused by someone the program is based on a similar one in which has seen i Landrun claims drop by 25 per Irwin added the officers Are based at apis Pacific Avenue and Pembina Highway claims when some one makes a i Landrun they must make an appointment with an adjuster and police so both can examine the cars this is their Only Irwin they can of this 10 hours ;