It was a stunning rebuke — a sitting judge dressing down a police service in some of the strongest terms possible, going so far as to suggest their conduct may have violated the law.

What happens now, though, remains unclear.

Last month, Court of King’s Bench Justice Jody Fraser sentenced Ashley Rattlesnake to eight years in prison for the manslaughter death of Nina Napope Dumais, an eight-year-old girl who died while in Rattlesnake’s care.

Much of Fraser’s decision, however, focused on the actions of the Edmonton Police Service who, in an unprecedented move, publicly criticized the Crown’s handling of the case and threatened to release disturbing details about the young girl’s death if prosecutors didn’t back off an alleged plea deal.

Police Chief Warren Driechel later said the information might be released if police felt the sentence wasn’t strong enough, putting Fraser himself in the crosshairs. Fraser called the actions of EPS “reprehensible” and said they might amount to obstruction of justice.

“The veiled threat that they may release more information about this matter if they are not happy about the sentence I impose comes dangerously close, and may actually cross the line, into an attempt to willfully obstruct, pervert, or defeat the course of justice in a judicial proceeding,” Fraser said.

Fraser chegou a dizer que ele havia tomado sua decisão “sem qualquer medo das possíveis ações da Polícia de Edmonton”, que ele chamou de “muito além do comportamento aceitável por parte da polícia”.

Na foto, há uma foto emoldurada de Nina Napope Dumais, uma menina de oito anos que foi morta há mais de dois anos.

O que aconteceu no caso?

Nina era uma das quatro crianças sob os cuidados de Rattlesnake. Durante sua curta vida, ela sofreu o que Fraser chamou de “terrivel” abuso físico. No dia de sua morte — 22 de abril de 2023 — Rattlesnake e um homem estavam usando drogas no banheiro quando as crianças começaram a fazer barulho. Quando Rattlesnake voltou, ela disse ao homem “que algo havia acontecido” e pediu que ele fosse para o outro quarto. Ele apareceu e viu Nina deitada no chão do quarto, inconsciente e sangrando ao lado de um buraco na parede.

Rattlesnake ligou para amigos, que colocaram o corpo de Nina em uma bolsa de hóquei e o deixaram no capô de uma picape quebrada na Samson Cree Nation. O homem com quem Rattlesnake estava usando drogas foi à polícia.

Como a EPS se envolveu?

A polícia de Edmonton investigou e acusou Rattlesnake de assassinato. Aqueles que ajudaram a esconder os restos mortais de Nina foram acusados de cometer um ato de desrespeito ao corpo de Nina. Dois se declararam culpados no ano passado e foram sentenciados a pouco menos de três anos de prisão.

The case entered uncharted territory, though, at a police press conference in September. Megan Hankewich, EPS’s top lawyer, released a copy of a letter she had authored — with Driechel’s endorsement — to the assistant deputy minister in charge of the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service.

Edmonton Police Service acting executive director of legal services Megan Hankewich speaks to media about the Ashley Rattlesnake case on Sept. 10, 2025.

The letter outlined the police service’s objections to an alleged plea deal to manslaughter in the case — as well as other frustrations with the Crown. Hankewich argued a plea to the lesser charge would amount to “a significant miscarriage of justice,” saying the abuse Nina suffered was among the worst investigators had ever seen. She said if the Crown went ahead, EPS would release graphic details about Nina’s death so the public “can properly assess whether this prosecution and plea agreement were conducted appropriately.”

Hankewich also threatened to “advocate in the public forum for a stronger prosecution service” — a line which took on new significance when two senior Edmonton prosecutors lost their jobs.

What was the reaction to EPS’s move?

Nina’s family have railed against the eight-year sentence given to Rattlesnake and said they support EPS’s intervention in the case. Premier Danielle Smith also spoke approvingly of the move.

Legal groups, however, said EPS’s actions were inappropriate. Courts have long stressed the need for separation between police and the prosecution to prevent wrongful convictions. Several lawyers noted detectives hand their files to the Crown when the case is strongest, and that the court process often whittles down what the prosecution can prove beyond a reasonable doubt.

During pre-trial proceedings, the first-degree murder charge against Rattlesnake dropped to second-degree when prosecutors decided they couldn’t prove Nina’s killing was planned and deliberate. A significant hurdle to proving second-degree was the fact the girl suffered the head injury in a room where there were no witnesses.

Manslaughter, which Rattlesnake admitted to in September, does not require the Crown to prove an accused intended to cause someone’s death, and unlike murder does not carry an automatic life sentence.

What’s happened with the Crown

Adding fuel to the fire was the apparent firing of two senior Crown officials, including Scott Niblock, the chief Crown in Edmonton. While he was not the prosecutor on the Rattlesnake case, Niblock would have been consulted on the decision to accept a plea to a lesser charge. A source told Postmedia Niblock and deputy Ryan Abrams were escorted off the property in November.

Kimberley Goddard, the assistant deputy minister to whom EPS addressed the letter, has since been named a judge. Justice Minister Mickey Amery said the move to terminate Niblock and Abrams was made by Elizabeth Wheaton, Goddard’s temporary replacement, and that the ministry had no say in the decision.

The departure of the two Crowns sent chills through the prosecution service, with the Alberta Crown Attorneys’ Association saying prosecutors need new employment protections to insulate them from “political or improper external influence.”

Court of King’s Bench Justice Jody Fraser before his swearing-in in 2017.

What did the judge say

Fraser ultimately accepted Rattlesnake’s guilty plea. During sentencing last month, he settled between the Crown — which asked for nine years in prison — and the defence — which sought seven years.

Fraser slammed Rattlesnake for the abuse Nina endured, noting the little girl had sepsis and other injuries at the time of her death. He said Rattlesnake “callously” ignored the girl’s suffering, noting Nina might have lived if Rattlesnake had sought immediate medical attention.

Instead, Rattlesnake and her associates “treated Nina’s body almost as trash,” then lied to police about where she was, the judge said.

Nevertheless, Fraser said a manslaughter plea in the case was “completely appropriate” given the Crown couldn’t prove how Nina suffered the fatal head injury.

What happens now?

Fraser сказал, что восьмилетний срок тюремного заключения соответствует предыдущим приговорам за аналогичные преступления. Он предоставил Rattlesnake снисхождения как за ее признание вины, так и за привлечение внимания общественности, которое EPS оказала делу, известному как “побочный эффект”.

Fraser также призвал руководителей полиции освежить свои знания о различии между полицией и прокурорами, отметив, что многочисленные суды установили, что “когда это разделение отсутствует, могут происходить несправедливые решения”.

Кроме того, остается неясным, что выйдет из комментариев Fraser о сокрытии доказательств. Судья, который говорит, что кто-то нарушил закон, не означает, что этот человек будет обвинен, сказал президент Ассоциации адвокатов уголовных дел Шон Кинг.

“Это предложение, чтобы кто-то предпринял какие-либо действия в этом отношении”, – сказал Кинг. Он отметил, что не редко случается, когда судьи находят, что свидетели лгали на суде, что не обязательно приводит к обвинению в лжесвидетельстве.

Кинг сказал, что если кто-то будет преследовать уголовное дело против EPS, то это должны быть сами предполагаемые жертвы сокрытия доказательств — другими словами, Fraser, Crown, или Rattlesnake. Нет никаких признаков того, что кто-то это сделал. ASIRT, полицейский надзор Альберты, сказал, что не расследует дело, в то время как RCMP отказались комментировать.

Hankewich, por su parte, podría enfrentar procedimientos disciplinarios profesionales por su papel. King dijo que el CTLA presentó una queja ante la Alberta Law Society, el regulador independiente de abogados de la provincia, pero se le informó que ya había una en el sistema. La sociedad de abogados se negó a hacer comentarios.

Fraser notó que las acciones de Hankewich eran similares a las de exministro de justicia Kaycee Madu, quien la sociedad de abogados reprendió y ordenó pagar $39,000 en honorarios legales por llamar al entonces jefe de la policía de Edmonton, Dale McFee, después de recibir una multa de tráfico.

La policía de Edmonton dijo que está revisando la decisión de Fraser y se negó a hacer comentarios.

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Relacionado

• ‘Nina me sorprendió’: Familia recuerda a la niña de 8 años asesinada en Edmonton mientras comienza el controvertido juicio
• Mujer declarada culpable de matar a niña de 8 años recibe sentencia de 8 años por homicidio
• En un movimiento sin precedentes, la policía de Edmonton se opone públicamente a que la fiscal acepte una declaración de culpabilidad en el homicidio de una niña indígena

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