Crown stays charge in Pond Inlet murder case

Pond Inlet’s Jeffrey Killikte is now a free man; after spending nearly two years in remand custody, the Crown stayed second-degree murder charges against him on March 9. (WIKIMEDIA COMMONS PHOTO)

Jeffrey Killikte was released from custody as a free man March 9 after Crown prosecutors stayed charges of second degree murder at the Nunavut Court of Justice.

Killikte was charged in connection with the death of 43-year-old Charlie Angnetsiak in Pond Inlet in September 2014.

Killikte’s trial was expected to begin April 3 in Pond Inlet but the Crown recently ran into problems.

“A key witness for the prosecution recently provided new information that casts doubts about the reliability of his previous statements to the police and the evidence he provided at the preliminary inquiry,” Crown prosecutor Abel Dion told Nunatsiaq News.

“This particular witness was crucial to the Crown’s case. Given the new information, the Crown no longer has a reasonable prospect of conviction.”

A stay of charges means the charges are withdrawn. The Crown still has the option of bringing those charges back to life within a year of the date the charges are stayed.

Killikte has been in custody since his arrest—nearly two-and-a-half years. He was freed from custody following court proceedings March 9.