Kelly Canadian launches lawsuit as jail guards are fired

A Yellowknife man who claims he was sexually exploited by jail guards while inside the North Slave Correctional Complex (NSCC) is suing the territorial government for $1.25 million in damages.

Kelly Canadian, 26, is claiming “systemic failures” allowed abuse to take place behind the jail’s walls.

NNSL reported the claim states the dozens of encounters took place over the course of three sentences Canadian served at NSCC between February 2016 and May 2017.

As a result of the incidents, Canadian reportedly states he has been left with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and a loss of self-esteem.

The territorial government has 30 days to respond to the claim.

Meanwhile, CKLB on Thursday reported that two jail guards accused of having sex with Canadian have been fired.

Deputy Justice Minister Martin Goldney on Thursday morning indicated the guards had been dismissed, following workplace investigations into Canadian’s allegations.

The officers had been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

In an earlier, unrelated case, Canadian received $5,000 in an out-of-court settlement after he complained to the NWT Human Rights Commission about harassment by jail staff while serving time in 2016 for theft and assault.

King appeals murder conviction and life sentence

Convicted murderer Denecho King is appealing his conviction and life sentence.

In July of last year, King was convicted of second-degree murder and aggravated assault over the death of John Wifladt and serious injury of Colin Digness in a December 2014 sword attack in a Yellowknife apartment.

In November, King, who is 26, received a life sentence with no chance of parole for 12 years.

King is being held at a maximum security federal prison in Alberta.

In his appeal notice, King states his lawyer was ineffective and he has issues with the judge’s written decision, which he feels involved “speculation.”

It is not clear when King’s appeal could be heard.

Kevin Mantla appeals murder conviction

Convicted murderer Kevin Mantla is not happy with how his trial proceeded and plans to appeal.

In May 2018, Mantla was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 20 years for the second-degree murder of Elvis Lafferty and attempted murder of Mantla’s ex-girlfriend three years earlier.

Mantla was upset with his lawyers and fired them after he was convicted but before his sentencing.

No date has been set for the appeal.

HIV assault case tossed under new federal guidelines

Charges of aggravated sexual assault were stayed this week against a Yellowknife man who failed to disclose his HIV-positive status to a woman with whom he had sex.

Bobby Kaotalok, 33, benefited from new guidelines issued following a Supreme Court of Canada ruling.

Those guidelines direct Crown attorneys to consider an accused person’s adherence to medical treatment before pursuing a conviction.

If a person has a low viral level, or uses condoms, they are not necessarily required to disclose their condition.

The CBC reports the woman involved has not since been diagnosed with HIV.