Alberta Mounties charged in shooting death of man in car to get jury trial

Two RCMP officers charged in the shooting death of a 31-year-old man in northern Albertatwo years ago will be getting a jury trial.

Cpl. Randy Stenger and Const. Jessica Brown of the Whitecourt RCMP detachment were arrested in June and initially changed with criminal negligence causing death.

Earlier this month, the charges were changed to manslaughter.

The pair appeared Tuesday in Whitecourt provincial court and, court documents say, there was an election for a jury trial.

No trial date was set, and the next court date is Oct. 13.

Alberta's police watchdog has said the officers found Clayton Crawford sleeping in a vehicle and he was shot multiple times during a confrontation.

OnJuly 2, 2018, Crawfordwas in a residence in Valhalla Centre, around 500 kilometres northwest of Edmonton,when unidentified perpetrators attacked the residence and fired on the occupants, ASIRT said.

While one occupant was injured during the incident, Crawfordwas able to flee the area in a vehicle.

• Witnesses sought after RCMP shoot, kill driver near Whitecourt

ASIRT said the officers were looking for a witness or possiblevictim in that case when they discovered a man sleeping in thedriver's seat of a vehicle parked at a rest stop near Whitecourt.

During a confrontation, the vehicle was "put into motion" andone officer fired a service pistol while the other discharged acarbine rifle, the agency said.

"The vehicle left the rest stop, crossed the highway and entereda ditch a short distance away," said a news release at the time.

Susan Hughson, executive director of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), has said prosecutors were consulted for their opinion and her team determined charges were warranted.

Hughson said it was the first time in the Alberta agency's history that a police-involved shooting resulting in a death led to criminal charges against officers.

• Charges upgraded to manslaughter for Alberta Mounties in shooting death of man in car
• 2 Alberta RCMP officers charged with criminal negligence in fatal 2018 shooting

ASIRT has said that the responsibility for the prosecution was transferred to the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General at the request of the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service.

The manslaughter charges were laid on Sept. 3, after consultation with the Ontario Crown, ASIRT said.

Both officers were suspended with pay after charges were laid. Stenger, 43, has 12 years of service with the RCMP and 29-year old Brown has four.