Judge stays charges against 2 Oceanside Mounties due to delays getting cases to trial
NANAIMO — A Nanaimo judge has stayed assault charges against two Oceanside Mounties accused of pepper spraying a man in custody, while proceedings against a third officer are set to go ahead in the fall.
Provincial court Judge Ronald Lamperson said in a written ruling that the charter rights of RCMP Cpl. Michelle Lebrun and Const. Mick White were violated because their trials were delayed for too long.
Lebrun and White, along with Const. Scott Jones, were on duty at the Oceanside detachment in Parksville when the alleged incident occurred on June 10, 2013.
All the Mounties pleaded not guilty, and Lamperson said Lebrun and White applied to have the prosecution against them stayed for the assault with a weapon charge that was sworn in February 2015, though proceedings were repeatedly adjourned over issues such as requests for disclosure.