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January 3, 2003
Crown stays Iqaluit murder
charge
For five days, 24-year-old
Ivan Kilabuk Joamie was the most hated man in Iqaluit.
But now hes out of
custody, after Crown prosecutors stayed a charge of first-degree murder laid
against him in connection with the homicide of 13-year-old Jennifer Naglingniq.
At Joamies first
court appearance on Dec. 19, RCMP assigned nine members to secure the Iqaluit
courtroom and create two rows of space between him and a crowd of about 60 Iqaluit
residents who came to see him.
But on his second court
appearance, on Dec. 24, a Crown prosecutor told the court that they are "staying"
the charge. A "stay" means that for one year, the Crown reserves the
right to revive the prosecution if new evidence comes to light. The Crown made
the surprise move because they say the evidence they have isnt enough
to justify prosecuting Joamie.
The Iqaluit RCMP say theyre
still pursuing the investigation and that 11 police officers are still working
on the case.
Jennifer Naglingniqs
body was found in the early morning hours of Dec. 6, at her home in Iqaluit.
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