Lynn Kalmring was shot and killed by her spouse, former RCMP officer Keith Gregory Wiens, at their Penticton home in 2011. Wiens appeared in Penticton provincial court Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013 via video to challenge a charge of breaching his bail conditions. The charges were laid before his murder trial.
Image Credit: justiceforlynn.webs.com
October 17, 2013 - 1:43 PM
PENTICTON - Convicted killer and former RCMP officer Keith Gregory Wiens wants to know why he is still facing a charge of breaching his bail conditions when he is serving a life sentence for murder.
Wiens, 58, appeared before Penticton provincial court Thursday via video from prison. He was found guilty in July of the second degree murder of his spouse Lynn Kalmring. He was sentenced to life in prison and isn't eligible for parole for 13 years. He is appealing both the conviction and the sentence.
Wiens is now challenging the charge of breaching his bail conditions.
After being arrested for the Aug. 16, 2011 shooting of Kalmring, he was released but given strict rules to obey. Crown cousnel John Swanson said Thursday Wiens broke those conditions when his brother, who was ordered to stay with Wiens at a residence, returned to Ontario for work. The ex-RCMP officer was arrested for the violation and has been in custody ever since.
"I'm doing life on a murder charge, so what am I doing here?" he asked the court room from a video monitor.
"This is not trivial," Swanson said. Wiens broke his bail conditions while facing a second-degree murder charge.
Wiens said there is more information to examine regarding his alleged breach of bail. He claimed there's a letter from a lawyer granting permission to his brother to leave Wiens in B.C. and return to Ontario for a job. Wiens said there are notes RCMP officers made when Wiens visited the RCMP detachment as part of his bail orders and when they later arrested him at his home for the alleged breach.
Swanson said he'd make inquiries about the information Wiens is looking for and attempt to provide hard copies to the incarcerated man.
"This matter has gone on way too long," Wiens said. He's looking for a trial date to bring the matter to a close.
Wiens will be back before a judge, via video, in Penticton court on Wednesday to set a date for a trial on the breach of probation charge.
To contact a reporter for this story, to send photos or videos, email Shannon Quesnel at squesnel@infotelnews.ca, call 250-488-3065, tweet @shannonquesnel1 or @InfoNewsPentict
News from © iNFOnews, 2013