Watch: Nova Scotia’s Minister of Justice announces independent review of Rehtaeh Parsons case
HALIFAX – A former Ontario prosecutor and civil servant has been appointed by the Nova Scotia government to conduct an independent review of the handling of the Rehtaeh Parsons case by police and the provincial Public Prosecution Service.
Murray Segal has been asked to make recommendations to improve the justice system and consider the impact technology is having on young people and their families, as well as their interaction with the justice system and police.
READ MORE: Child pornography charges laid in Rehtaeh Parsons investigation
Segal was deputy attorney general and the chief prosecutor in Ontario with more than 30 years experience as a lawyer, consultant, mediator and government adviser. He has been given until April 1 to provide the province with a report.
Parsons’ father, Glen Canning, said he has been contacted by the province about sitting down with Segal when he starts his interviews in Nova Scotia next month.
Canning said he and Rehtaeh’s mother, Leah Parsons, still have questions, especially concerning how the investigation was carried out.
“I hope it’s a review of my daughter’s case, not just about cyberbullying,” he said, adding he feels the province “might be losing sight of the reality of the situation.”
Segal has been asked to determine, among other things, whether to the length of time it took to conduct the police investigation in the Parsons case was appropriate, and if it wasn’t, then how can investigations be handled more quickly in the future.
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Parsons was 17 when she was taken off life-support following a suicide attempt in April.
Her family alleges she was sexually assaulted by four boys in November 2011. They say the teen was then bullied for months after a digital photo of the alleged assault was passed around her school in Halifax.
Two 18-year-old men are due in court Thursday to face child pornography-related charges after they were arrested last week.
The charges came a day after a new law took effect in the province that allows people to sue if they or their children are being cyberbullied.
For our full coverage of the Rehtaeh Parsons case, click here
Nova Scotia Justice Minister Ross Landry said the province wants to get to the bottom of how the case was handled by justice officials.
“We are committed to reviewing everything that led up to this tragic death, including the role of police and the prosecution service,” he said in a statement Monday. “We aren’t leaving any stone unturned.”
The terms of reference for Segal’s review include looking at whether the police investigation of Parsons’ complaint complied with training, policies and procedures that were in place at the time. It will also determine whether police training, policies and guidelines used to investigate allegations of sexual assault, child pornography and other offences related to cyberbullying are adequate.
Segal has also been asked to look at whether the advice given to the police by the Public Prosecution Service complied with appropriate training, policies, procedures and guidelines, and determine whether they are adequate.
A staff member from Nova Scotia’s Liberal Party, the province’s official opposition, told Global News they were happy the review was called because the party has been asking for that since April.
Messages left with the Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia have not yet been returned.
In a statement, Segal said he recognizes that the Parsons case “has captured the hearts and minds of Nova Scotians and Canadians.”
“I am committed to conducting a thorough review that will support the ongoing efforts to address this important issue.”
Read the full terms of reference released by the Nova Scotia Department of Justice for the review of the Rehtaeh Parsons case:
With files from Erin Trafford
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