Timeline
Rachelle Younglai, CBC News Online | Feb. 20, 2003 | Updated August 29, 2003
In 1990, an aboriginal teenager's frozen body was found on the outskirts of Saskatoon. Police ruled Neil Stonechild's death accidental which caused much public outcry. An inquiry into his death was never launched even after other aboriginal men were found frozen to death on Saskatoon's outskirts.
In 2003, Saskatchewan's government called an inquiry into Stonechild's death. Here's a timeline of the past 12 years.
Nov. 29, 1990
Neil Stonechild, 17, is found frozen to death in a remote field on the outskirts of Saskatoon. He is partially clothed and wearing one shoe. His family believes his death is the result of police foul play. His mother Stella Bignell, questions how her son ended up in that area of Saskatoon wearing only one shoe on a -28C night.
1991
Saskatoon police conclude Stonechild died trying to walk from a convenience store to the correctional centre where he was going to surrender himself. Stonechild was wanted for escaping his youth group home where he was serving a sentence for breaking and entering.
Jan. 19, 2000
Lloyd Dustyhorn, 53, is found frozen to death in Saskatoon. He had been taken into police custody the night before for public intoxication.
Jan. 28, 2000
Darrell Night, says police officers picked him up on this morning for no reason, drove him to the outskirts of Saskatoon, and left him there. Weather conditions were well below -22 C and he was only wearing a jean jacket and summer shoes.
Jan. 29, 2000
Rodney Naistus, 25, is found frozen to death without a shirt. He is in the same area Night was the day before, in the southwest industrial area of Saskatoon near the Queen Elizabeth power station.
Feb. 3, 2000
Lawrence Wegner, 30, last seen alive banging on a relative's door Jan. 30 in Saskatoon, is found frozen to death wearing only a T-shirt, jeans and socks. He is found in the same southwest industrial area.
Feb. 4, 2000
Night comes forward and alleges that police officers kicked him out of a police cruiser near the power station on a frigid night. He says he was only wearing a jean jacket and summer shoes. Saskatoon police Chief Dave Scott orders an investigation.
Feb. 10, 2000
Veteran police officers Dan Hatchen and Ken Munson are suspended with pay after they admit to picking up Night and driving him to the outskirts of town.
Feb. 16, 2000
Scott asks the province to appoint RCMP investigators. Saskatchewan Justice Department calls on RCMP to take over the investigation.
Feb. 21, 2000
Saskatchewan's Justice Minister Chris Axworthy refuses to call an inquiry into the general relations between the aboriginal community and the justice system saying the province needs to wait until the RCMP completes its criminal investigation into the deaths of Wegner and Naistus, and the alleged police abuse of Night.
Feb. 22, 2000
RCMP decide not to reopen the Neil Stonechild investigation saying they're too busy. At the same time, the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan and the Metis National Council call for an independent judicial inquiry into the provincial justice system.
March 10, 2000
Hatchen and Munson are now suspended without pay upsetting both police officers and aboriginals. Police officers say the duo should be paid until they are tried by the court of law and aboriginals say the two should be fired.
March 20, 2000
RCMP task force completes an investigation into Darrell Night's allegations.
March 21, 2000
Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations hires a private investigator to look into allegations of police brutality against aboriginals.
March 24, 2000
RCMP task force receives 25 complaints about officers. Three of the complaints involve abandonment.
April 10, 2000
Hatchen and Munson are charged with unlawful confinement and assault.
April 2001
Stonechild's body is exhumed.
May 8-10, 2001
The inquest into Lloyd Dustyhorn's death is held. The jury concludes that his death was accidental and caused by hypothermia. It recommends establishing an emergency detoxification centre where non-violent intoxicated individuals could be taken instead of jail.
Sept. 10, 2001
An all-white jury, seven men and five women, is picked to try Hatchen and Munson.
Sept. 20, 2001
Hatchen and Munson are found guilty of unlawful confinement. They are still appealing the conviction.
Oct. 30-Nov. 2, 2001
The inquest into the death of Rodney Naistus is held. The jury concludes that Naistus died of hypothermia but fails to determine the circumstances leading to his death. Recommendations are all related to police policies, and police and aboriginal relations.
Oct. 30, 2001
Lawyers for Hatchen and Munson request a native sentencing circle, much to the dismay of the aboriginal community.
Jan.-Feb., 2002
The inquest into the death of Lawrence Wegner is held. The jury concludes Wegner died of hypothermia but fails to determine the circumstances leading to his death.
Feb. 20, 2003
Saskatchewan's justice minister, Eric Cline, calls an inquiry into the death of Neil Stonechild.
March 13, 2003
A Saskatoon judge rejects Munson and Hatchen's appeal and upholds their eight-month jail sentence. The officers must turn themselves in to officials at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre.
April 30, 2003
Groups and individuals interesting in taking part in the Neil Stonechild inquiry present arguments to the Commissioner of the inquiry, Mr. Justice David Wright.
May 13, 2003
Mr. Justice David Wright hands down his ruling on groups and individuals who have applied for official standing and funding in the Neil Stonechild inquiry. Members of the Saskatoon Police Department and the Stonechild family are among those granted standing.
August 22, 2003
Former Saskatoon police officers, Ken Munson and Dan Hatchen are released from a low-security correctional facility in Saskatoon after serving about half of their 8 month sentences for convictions of unlawful confinement.
August 25, 2003
A preliminary hearing of the Neil Stonechild inquiry is held in Saskatoon to determine the admissibility of certain evidence. Inquiry Commissioner, Mr. Justice David Wright closes the proceedings to the public. Reporters are prohibited from reporting details of the hearing.
September 8, 2003
The public inquiry into the death of Neil Stonechild begins in Saskatoon. It is scheduled to run until October 23. The purpose of the inquiry is to examine the circumstances that led to Stonechild’s death and the conduct of the police investigation that followed.
Do the Knowledge
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