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Emily Kammermayer answered questions from reporters during a Zoom conference Thursday. (Zoom/screenshot)
case update

CAP calls for charges against local woman to be dropped

Mar 25, 2021 | 5:25 PM

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) is calling for charges against Lac La Ronge Indian Band member Emily Kammermayer to be dropped.

The charges stem from an incident Dec. 29, 2020, at the La Ronge Health Centre where Kammermayer allegedly assaulted a doctor and three police officers. She was at the hospital seeking medical attention for her two-year-old son and she claimed he was denied an X-ray. An argument ensued and the RCMP were called.

“There has been a number of mediating factors with respect to how they treated Emily in the last few months,” CAP Vice-Chief Kim Beaudin said during a Zoom news conference Thursday with reporters. “The best case scenario should be going to mediation … this shouldn’t have to go any further than that.”

Beaudin believes Kammermayer’s arrest was racially motivated, adding it’s a miscarriage of justice and that Kammermayer won’t get a fair trial should there be one. Kammermayer is representing herself in court and has yet to enter a plea for charges including assaulting three officers, assault with a weapon and resisting arrest.

In January, Kammermayer also claimed RCMP went to her home without a warrant and threatened there would be a repeat of the previous assault at the hospital if she didn’t come outside and talk to them. Police then allegedly searched her home without a warrant.

“Emily Kammermayer has been subject to mistreatment from Saskatchewan RCMP since she was a young girl,” Beaudin stated. “There is a history of neglect and bias from the RCMP in their interactions with Emily. These charges cannot be allowed to have merit given the transgressions in the handling of this case, and previous instances concerning Emily.”

Kammermayer claims there has been misconduct in her current case because she has been unable to obtain disclosure on it as of yet.

CAP Vice-Chief Kim Beaudin as seen during the press conference. (Zoom/screenshot)

“The disclosure is the principle of fair play and is one of the most important rights guaranteed to an accused,” she said. “Without my disclosure, I am unable to defend myself, consult properly with lawyers to represent me or even enter a plea. I feel that this is being done in bad faith to obstruct justice.”

The CAP wants Attorney General Gordon Wyant to intervene and stop the prosecution of Kammermayer.

Kammermayer has filed a complaint with the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP.

The office for the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General provided a statement to larongeNOW via email Friday. It states public prosecutions cannot comment on this matter as it is before the court and any allegations in this case should be addressed in the course of the proceedings. The email notes the Crown pursues cases for which there is a reasonable likelihood of conviction and where it is in the public interest to proceed. Those two things are re-examined at various stages.

Editor’s note: this story was amended Friday afternoon to include comment from the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General.

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno

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