Jury box in a courtroom at the Edmonton Law Courts building, in Edmonton on Friday, June 28, 2019. A jury trial is scheduled to begin today in Edmonton for two RCMP officers accused of manslaughter with a firearm in the shooting death of a 31-year-old in northern Alberta. (Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson)

By The Canadian Press

Court

Jury trial begins for RCMP members charged with manslaughter in shooting of Alberta man

Nov 21, 2022 | 2:24 PM

EDMONTON – Defence lawyers have told a jury that two RCMP officers accused in the fatal shooting of an Alberta man acted in self-defence.

Const. Jessica Brown and Cpl. Randy Stegner of the Whitecourt RCMP are charged with manslaughter in the 2018 death of Clayton Crawford, as well as aggravated assault and discharging a firearm with intent to cause bodily harm.

The jury heard the officers fired several shots at a purple Dodge truck that was believed to be connected to a shooting in Valhalla Centre.

In opening arguments, Crown and defence lawyers described how a truck fled a home in Valhalla Centre and was found at a rest stop 50 kilometres northwest of Whitecourt, Alta., the next day.

The jury heard that Crawford was sleeping when officers approached the vehicle and told him to put his hands up.

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Lawyers for the accused say there was a struggle between Crawford and the officers, which resulted in Crawford attempting to drive away recklessly and the officers fired at the vehicle, killing him.

(The Canadian Press)