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FRIDAYMARCH27
CRIME: Former Renegades boss gunned down
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INQUEST INTRIGUE Proceedings adjourned Coroner’s counsel John Orr questions WorkSafeBC investigation
Chief Coroner Lapointe Debate rages over admonishes counsel
independent investigation
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WorkSafeBC investigators declined an offer, in the fall of 2012, to view forensic investigative materials regarding the Lakeland Mills explosion collected by CASE Forensic, a coroner’s inquest heard Wednesday. That revelation, and the fact the material from that investigation conducted by Lakeland Mills’ lawyers, was not provided to the inquest at the outset, prompted Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe to adjourn the inquest, now into its fourth week. “I’m significantly disappointed,” she said Wednesday
he coroner’s inquest into the April 23, 2012 explosion and fire that killed two men and injured 22 others has taken some unexpected turns over the past few days. When the inquest, looking into the deaths of Alan Little and Glenn Roche, adjourned on March 20, chief coroner Lisa Lapointe ruled that an investigation into the explosion conducted by legal counsel for Lakeland Mills was relevant to the inquest. However, she also ruled that the information was subject solicitor/client privilege and had given Lakeland the weekend to determine whether it would waive that privilege in order for it to be presented at the inquest. Monday morning, however, she ruled that the information was not privileged and Lakeland Mills counsel Gavin
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Bill Phillips editor@pgfreepress.com
CEO Greg Stewart takes the stand at inquest Several people have been at the coroner’s inquest into the deaths of Glenn Roche and Alan Little every day since it began. Included in those who have sat in the gallery every day are Ronda Roche, Glenn Roche’s widow, and Greg Stewart, CEO of the Sinclar Group, Lakeland Mills parent company. Ronda Roche testified on the first day of the inquest and Stewart was the last on the stand before it adjourned Wednesday. “This incident was awful for all of us. This has been a very, very tough event for our organization,” Stewart said and, turning to Roche, added. “We’re so sorry that this has happened and what the families have had to go through. I can’t even imagine what it has been like.”
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IINSIDE TODAY: Voices.........................................P11 V Boomers and Beyond...........P16 B Community...............................P17 C Datebook.................................P22 D
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