An independent review of the Rehtaeh Parsons case finds police and prosecutors made mistakes.
Former Deputy Attorney General in Ontario, Murray Segal was tasked with reviewing the case and compiling a report looking at how police in Halifax and the province’s prosecution handled the case.
Segal points to several errors made by investigators and the Crown starting with Parsons unrecorded interview with police.
“There were some errors in how Rehtaeh’s statement was taken that could have some impact on the case. How much is not known”, said Segal at a news conference in Halifax.
Segal also says the case took close to a year to investigate which meant Parsons was not getting the support she needed while in crisis.
The report also concluded that child pornography charges could have been laid at the outset of the investigation.
Parsons was sexually assaulted in 2011 and died in 2013 after committing suicide.
Child pornography charges were not laid until after Parsons’ death.
Two men, now 20 years old, were charged at the time under the Youth Criminal Justice Act and cannot be identified.
