Hearing starts for man accused of gunning down two Mounties
Suspect eluded police in bush for 11 days

CanWest News Service

Monday, August 13, 2007

Experts in blood spatter patterns, DNA, firearms and pathology will be among about 35 witnesses to be called to the preliminary hearing of Curtis Dagenais, which begins today in North Battleford.

Dagenais, 42, faces two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of RCMP Constables Robin Cameron and Marc Bourdages and one count of attempted murder of Const. Michelle Knopp, who allegedly was shot at but not injured during the incident last July

Officers in two vehicles responding to a call from a farm near Spiritwood, about 165 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon, became involved in a pursuit on country roads. Shots were fired and the first officers on the scene suffered head wounds that resulted in their deaths a week later in hospital.

The suspect fled on foot into the surrounding bush, where for 11 days he eluded about 250 RCMP from across Canada who were brought in to help with the search.

Dagenais turned himself in, accompanied by two neighbours, at the Spiritwood RCMP detachment on July 18, 2006.

The preliminary hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to send the matter to trial is scheduled to take eight days over two weeks, crown prosecutor Scott Bartlett said.

Dagenais's father, Arthur Dagenais, was found not guilty this year of obstructing a peace officer the day after the shooting. The elder Dagenais was arrested and charged as he drove toward a restricted area.

Judge Barry Singer found Arthur Dagenais did nothing to warrant his arrest and six-week detention.

Arthur Dagenais has asked the justice minister for compensation for wrongful arrest but there has been no public response from the minister.