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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Nunavut man guilty in killing of Mountie

By: Chris Windeyer

Posted: 03/12/2010 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

IQALUIT, Nunavut -- Several jurors and families of both the victim and the accused burst into tears Thursday after an 11-person jury found Pingoatuk Kolola guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of RCMP Const. Doug Scott in Kimmirut, Nunavut, in November 2007.

"This is probably the saddest case I've ever had to deal with," defence lawyer Andy Mahar told reporters after the verdict was read. "A family lost a lovely young man. Another family lost a father (of) six kids. All for a moment of basically pointless violence, and there's just no happy ending to this for anybody."

The jury reached a verdict after nearly four days of deliberations. As the jury was lead out of the courtroom several members could be heard wailing as they walked down the hall.

The jury was given a choice between convicting Kolola of first-degree murder or on the lesser charge of manslaughter.

"We can be confident that justice was done in the case. The verdict represents the position taken by the Crown and we're satisfied," Crown prosecutor Susanne Boucher said.

"It was a very serious case and they heard evidence over a couple of weeks and they wanted to review much of the details of the trial. It seemed that they were putting very careful thought into the matter," Boucher added.

Kolola is scheduled to appear for sentencing on Friday morning.

First-degree murder carries a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment, without parole eligibility for 25 years.

At a news conference Thursday afternoon in Iqaluit, Marla Scott, Doug's mother, said she was pleased with the verdict, despite the four-day wait.

"Although it will never replace the loss of Dougie, it is a comfort to know that the person responsible has been held accountable to the extent of the law," she said.

"It is our hope that this (verdict) will serve as a strong statement to those who put so little value on the life of a fellow human being."

Kolola showed little emotion during the trial, apart from brief flashes of a smile directed to members of his own family during court sessions Wednesday and Thursday.

Kolola's stoicism didn't sit well with Douglas Scott Sr., Const. Scott's father.

"The toughest part was when he (Kolola) sat there so calmly and didn't show any emotion or any regret," he said.

Scott's family remembered Doug as a competitive person who pushed himself to achieve and who was embracing life in the small hamlet of Kimmirut -- located on the southern shore of Baffin Island.

Douglas Scott Sr. wept as he described his son as mature beyond his years.

"The more people he could meet and talk to and hear their stories, he just thrived on that," Marla said.

Supt. Steve McVarnock, the commanding officer of RCMP V Division, said the verdict "does not bring any joy to anyone in this room."

McVarnock said Scott's murder was devastating for the young officer's family, his colleagues, the community of Kimmirut, and for Kolola and his family.

"There are no winners," he said. "And there's nothing that the court can do (at sentencing) that is going to mitigate that sting. We can't bring Doug back."

McVarnock said the death of Scott, and Const. Christopher Worden in Hay River, NWT a month before, accelerated new backup rules for RCMP officers in remote communities.

He added the RCMP will also conduct gun safety courses and increase the number of police vehicles in Nunavut this year.

Kolola told the court he fired the shot that killed Scott from his hip, holding the rifle with his right hand and cradling his eight-month old son Adam in his left.

-- Canwest News Service

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 12, 2010 A18

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