Bail reform plan ‘weeks’ away, justice minister says

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This article was published 13/02/2024 (573 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Justice officials intend to oppose all future bail applications for a man accused of killing his common-law wife, their three children and a teenage relative.

Ryan Howard Manoakeesick, who has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder, made his first appearance in provincial court Monday afternoon.

The 29-year-old’s case was addressed before a judicial justice of the peace, with his next court date set for Feb. 23.

The remand was made at the request of defence counsel “so that they can receive particulars and have discussions with the Crown,” prosecutor Joanna Kostiuk told the justice of the peace.

Kostiuk said any future bail application would be opposed by the Crown.

Manoakeesick is accused of killing Amanda Clearwater, 30, their three kids — two-month-old Isabella Manoakeesick, four-year-old Jayven Manoakeesick and six-year-old Bethany Manoakeesick— and Clearwater’s 17-year-old niece, Myah-Lee Gratton.

The victims and the accused lived together in a house in Carman, about 75 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg.

Friends of the victims previously confirmed their identities to the Free Press and the group has since been honoured in an obituary published online.

“It is with great sorrow to announce the sudden and tragic death of these innocent lives. These beautiful souls are being mourned by the loved ones of this family,” said the obituary from Doyle’s Funeral Home in Carman.

The obituary acknowledged the Carman community “for standing behind our family during this devastating time.”

Longer, personalized obituaries are expected to be published in coming weeks, the funeral home said.

Gratton’s mother, Juliette Hastings, told The Canadian Press she is devastated by her daughter’s death.

“She was amazing kind helpful funny lady,” she said in an online message.

RCMP previously said autopsies for the victims will begin this week.

The results will not be released publicly, due to the ongoing investigation, a spokesperson confirmed Tuesday.

Police could not say whether Manoakeesick was previously known to them.

“Investigators are looking at every aspect, including any history with police,” RCMP said in a statement. “However all of this information is now part of the ongoing investigation.”

Court records show Manoakeesick has a limited criminal history that includes a 2019 conviction for mischief to property under $5,000. Court heard the crime was influenced by his use of methamphetamine.

He has yet to be tried on two counts of impaired driving causing bodily harm from 2021. After failing to appear in court for a scheduled trial addressing the charges last August, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

He was taken into custody July 14 and released on bail four days later, despite opposition from the Crown prosecutor.

Justice Minister Matt Wiebe would not comment on the circumstances of the killings or Manoakeesick’s release on bail in July, adding he does not know all of the details of the situation, but said the provincial government is prioritizing bail reform.

“We’ve got some good recommendations that came from the National Police Federation (RCMP officers union) on bail reform, some of which, I think, will make some significant difference here in the province,” Wiebe told the Free Press Tuesday.

“We’re going to take the steps that we can take, within our control, while at the same time continuing to push the feds to move their feet on this important issue.”

Decisions on bail applications are dependent on guidelines set out in the federal Criminal Code and is the decision of judges, whose rulings are independent of political direction.

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Under the Criminal Code, there are three grounds on which an accused can be denied bail: to ensure they’ll appear in court; to protect the public if there’s a significant likelihood the accused will commit another offence while on release; and to maintain confidence in the administration of justice.

Wiebe pointed to an NDP promise before last fall’s provincial election to address concerns in the bail system with support for improved data-sharing among law enforcement, spending on rural broadband internet to improve monitoring and introducing standard qualifications for conducting bail hearings.

The minister said the government will announce the specifics of its plan within “weeks.”

He said the province will work on bail enforcement and supervision within the community, adding the government has been in talks with officials from municipalities across Manitoba who have concerns about the issue.

— with files from The Canadian Press

Tyler Searle
Reporter

Since joining the paper in 2022, Tyler has found himself driving through blizzards, documenting protests and scouring the undersides of bridges for potential stories.

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Erik Pindera
Reporter

Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice.

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Dean Pritchard
Courts reporter

Dean Pritchard is courts reporter for the Free Press. He has covered the justice system since 1999, working for the Brandon Sun and Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 2019.

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