The Milner Ridge 8!

Good Day Readers:

It was suggested quite recently this might be a trial CyberSmokeBlog should consider covering. At the time we knew nothing about it and still don't. From our sleuth-like activities so far we've been able to determine a trial (probably jury) will likely take place in Queen's Bench sometime during January of next year. Using the information contained in The Winnipeg Sun article, we should be able to find a file number. This will enable us to look at a listing of the fillings to date. Unless the material is subject to a Sealing Order, it should be possible to see who has said what so far. We'll also be able to determine whether there's a publication ban in place.

It would appear two of the accused may have entered a guilty plea. There is also speculation this may have been a "beat-out." Apparently, when someone wishes to enter a gang there's an iniation rite ("beat-in) to ascertain whether the candidate is strong enough to survive the rigours of gang life. In a gang related muder trial in Toronto the terms "blood-in" and "blood-out" were used by a member in testimony.

We're trying to imagine what this trial will look like. Currently in Queen's Bench Courtroom 214 we have 4-accused, 10-lawyers; 6-sheriffs and a jury of 12. For starters how will you fit 8-accused in a prisoner's box?

A number of comments associated with the WS article noted the absence of guards. It's worth observing at the time of this incident Milner Ridge was a minimum security facility.

Sincerely,
Clare L. Pieuk
_____________________________________________________
Milner Ridge Murder
Eight charged with killing fellow inmate

By Tamara King
Thursday, May 19, 2011Mounties announced charges of second-degree murder Thursday against eight alleged gang associates in the killing of a fellow inmate at a Manitoba jail.

Tyler St. Paul, 21, died of blunt force trauma after he was assaulted at the Milner Ridge Correctional Centre on a range within the medium-security facility. A source said it’s believed the man was stomped on the chest. His unresponsive body was discovered Monday.

St. Paul, who recently became a father to a baby boy, was doing time for drug trafficking.

“Tyler wasn’t exactly an angel but he didn’t deserve to die that way,” his cousin, Desiree Chippeway, 22, said Thursday in a brief telephone interview. His family has asked for privacy.

All of the accused were inmates at the jail, and all are “reported to have gang affiliations,” RCMP said in a statement. Police won’t say what sparked the attack.
One of the accused, Emile Hugh Williams, 22, has made headlines in the past. He was charged with several firearms offences after police seized a firearm, magazine and ammunition during a traffic stop in 2009. The man is linked to the M.O.B. street gang, a source said.

Another accused also has ties to the same gang, a source said.

Others arrested in the killing include Nathan Florian Allard, 19, Joey Richard Delaronde, 25, Daniel Christopher Dumas, 19, Brent Edward Houle, 18, Eric Edward Plante, 20, and a 17-year-old accused who cannot be named.

Plante is in custody facing outstanding charges of kidnapping, forcible confinement, assault and other related offences.

St. Paul was born in Winnipeg but also lived at Lake Manitoba First Nation, a reserve in the Interlake near Lake Manitoba Narrows. He was convicted of drug trafficking last November and handed a 15-month sentence, and he also has lesser convictions for assault with a weapon and breaching court conditions on his record.

Until recently, Milner Ridge was a minimum security, fenceless facility but it was recently upgraded to medium security. The homicide is believed to be the first ever at the provincial jail, located about 20 km south of Lac du Bonnet.