Both sides of Neil Stonechild case mark 25th anniversary of teen’s death

By The Canadian Press

SASKATOON – A feast of remembrance and the launch of a new book on the case both marked the 25th anniversary of the death of an aboriginal teenager found frozen to death on the outskirts of Saskatoon.

Neil Stonechild’s body was discovered five days after some in the community believe he was taken on a so-called ”starlight tour”— the name given to a quick and dirty way for police to handle troublemakers by leaving them on the outskirts of the city.

A judicial inquiry found that Saskatoon police constable Larry Hartwig and his partner Brad Senger had the 17-year-old in custody the night he was last seen alive in 1990.

No charges were ever laid, and Hartwig and Senger maintained that Stonechild was gone by the time they arrived at an apartment building to investigate a disturbance complaint.

Jason Roy, the friend who testified he saw Stonechild screaming in the back of a police car, took part in a special feast of remembrance on Wednesday night at St. Thomas Wesley Church.

Across the city at the same time, author Candis McLean launched her new book “When Police Become Prey.”

Hartwig said he believes the book provides a case for his innocence.

He told reporters the inquiry excluded and manipulated evidence in order to pin Stonechild’s death on him and his partner.

“The fact is I did not encounter Neil Stonechild that night, I did not arrest him, I did not beat him up or drop him off somewhere,” Hartwig said. “I believe this public inquiry was used to validate claims and perceptions that police were killing aboriginal people in order to appease certain groups.”

Hartwig has been pushing the Saskatchewan Department of Justice to reopen the inquiry and have an out-of-province team look at the evidence again.

The department confirmed by email that it has received requests over the past few years to reopen the matter, but said it respects the findings of Justice David Wright and the 2004 commission.

Wright, who is now retired, declined to comment on Wright’s accusation, saying: “The facts speak for themselves.”

Hartwig said being fired from the police force after the inquiry crippled his spirit and damaged relationships in his family.

“It’s destroyed my life, my hopes and dreams, the hopes and dreams of my children,” Hartwig said. “I lost a relationship with one of my children over this. It’s destroyed my soul.”

Hartwig accused Roy of lying about what he saw, but Roy said he remembers the night clearly.

“I’ll always stand behind my story,” Roy said. “I’m up for the challenge and my perspective is never going to change. I know what happened — I was there.”

McLean’s book launch was originally supposed to have been held at the McNally-Robinson book store in Saskatoon, but the events co-ordinator cancelled the event out of respect to Stonechild’s friends and family.

Instead, the launch took place at the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans Centre.

(CKOM)

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