NORTH BATTLEFORD – There may not be a trial for two people charged with first-degree murder in the death of 54-year-old Bradley John Ham.
Ham’s body was found near a grid road 30 kilometres southeast of Glaslyn on Nov. 27, 2020.
A preliminary hearing for 28-year-old Jonathan Christopher Swiftwolfe of Moosomin First Nation, and 25-year-old Cassandra Yvonne Mary Fox of Sweetgrass First Nation, was set for Sept. 12 but didn’t proceed after court heard there may be a possible resolution. Swiftwolfe was represented by Mike Nolin and Fox was represented by Brian Pfefferle. Senior Crown Jennifer Schmidt is prosecuting the two co-accused. Judge Michelle Baldwin adjourned the matter to Sept. 29 in North Battleford Provincial Court.
Preliminary hearing dates have been reserved for Nov. 29, 30, Dec. 1, and Dec. 2, in case a resolution isn't reached between the crown and defence.
Swiftwolfe was arrested at Saskatchewan Penitentiary, a federal institution in Prince Albert, and charged with first-degree murder. This means that Swiftwolfe is in dual remand, provincially and federally.
Swiftwolfe was moved from the federal Saskatchewan Penitentiary in Prince Albert to Drumheller Institution in Alberta at the request of the warden.
In October 2021, Schmidt told the court that the warden at Saskatchewan Penitentiary in Prince Albert wanted Swiftwolfe moved to an Alberta prison and had asked her for the court’s help moving him to Drumheller Institution in Alberta.
“He is a Westside Outlaw and incompatible with nearly everyone at (the penitentiary),” Schmidt had told the court.
Fox was arrested at Pine Grove Correctional Centre for Women where she was for an incident stemming from December 2020 involving a police pursuit of Swiftwolfe and Fox that reached speeds of up to 190 km/hour.
Fox and Swiftwolfe are also facing charges out of Swift Current including theft of a vehicle, theft, possession of stolen property, firearms offences, and breach of court orders. The court heard that the Swift Current charges against Swiftwolfe and Fox are interconnected with the murder charges and need to be heard together in North Battleford court.
Swiftwolfe and Fox had pleaded not guilty. The first-degree murder, weapons and theft charges against Swiftwolfe and Fox haven’t been tested in court.
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