A8 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 29, 1999

Wheeis of justice turn slowly
for northwest cocaine kingpin —

Police officer disgusted

by sentencing delays
- By CHRISTIANA WIENS:

THE CONTINUAL court delay in the sentenc-
ing of a Terrace man who pleaded guilty to
importing a kilogram of cocaine here in 1996,
has local: RCMP. officers wondering if David
Edwardsen will ever spend any time in jail.

Edwardsen pleaded guilly in February, 1999
to possession of cocaine -for the purposes of

trafficking: after a‘second-man,* who has alrea- -

dy served time for the offence, was arrested
near Smithers with cocaine Oct: 6,:1996, . °
Edwardsen was originally scheduled to be
sentenced Mar, 15 but the-case’-was delayed
after. Edwardsen fired his Vancouver-based
lawyer, John Cheevers. *
Judge Peter G. Fraser then allowed Edward-
sen to work here during the logging season last
summer to raise money. for child support before
serving a possible jail term and his sentencing
hearing was moved to Nov, 26. ae
But that dale was. pushed back to Jan. 6,

2000 so Edwardsen,..who is'in. the process of.

hiring yet another lawyer, will have enough
lime to prepare for the hearing. moe
The delay has officers here wondering how

the delay impacts RCMP reputation and drug-
related court cases.

“It makes us look like we're the biggest
joke in the northwest,” said RCMP Cpl, An-

a@aders Udsen; the head of Terrace's serious

crime unit. “The criminals are laughing at us.”

“Eventually. they'll just say
he’s waited long enough and let
him go. Nothing surprises: me

more.”

Udsen said Edwardsen’s “delay tactics” set
a dangerous precedent because other dealers
-will know they can stall. the courts until the
case is tossed outof the system. °° .
-“Eventually. theyll just say he’s. waited

long enough and let him’ go,” said’ Udsen: ;

“Nothing surprises me about the court system
anymore,” mo me

including a diamond Rolex,- gold chains;

-. tings and nuggets, seized to pay arrears on
child maintenance.

Hospital
may use
lodge

THERE MAY yet be a
future for the now-closed

about the--court. system any--~

Edwardsen: has also recently had jewellery,

Edwardsen’s case took longer than average
to reach court after a lengthy preliminary hear-
ing in Smithers and a Vancouver trial.

’ At one point prosecutor Brian Sedgewick,
the federal Crown lawyer who handled the tri-
al, said the case was in danger of being dis-
missed because of time delays.

He-said a deal — to put Edwardsen and Bri-
en Burchell, who was. arrested with the co-
caine, behind bars-and to'stay charges against
a third man, Stanley Homeniuk — had to be. §
made to secure a guilty plea

‘When he is sentenced, Edwardsen is likely
-to see the same. nine-month sentence’ -as

Burchell who pled. guilty'to a similar charge

Feb. 10, said Sedgewick. me

The RCMP investigation that caught. Ed-

wardsen was led by North District detachment.

in.Prince:Rupert and saw officers monitor six-
_ months of taped ‘conversations: between. Ed-
wardsen and Burchell,’

RCMP in’ Smithers arrested Edwardsen
when Burchell was stopped on Hwy16 west of
Smithers with a kilogram of cocaine.

RCMP say Burchell was:en route here with
the’ cocaine stashed in the rear-seat-cushion of
a rented grey 1996 Ford. Explorer to drop the
high quality cocaine off to Edwardsen.

James W. Racdelest

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