A suspended Saskatoon police constable will not be facing a second trial for obstruction of justice.
In 2014, Steven Nelson was suspended from the force and charged after it’s alleged he deliberately misplaced a victim’s statement recanting a domestic assault that he had attended.
He was convicted of obstruction in 2015.
READ MORE: Saskatoon police officer sentenced for obstructing justice
One year later, the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal ruled in Nelson’s favour to grant him a new trial.
A second trial for Nelson that was scheduled for Monday, Aug. 28, will not go ahead after the charge was stayed.
The Crown prosecutor can reinstate the prosecution process for up to one calendar year.
Nelson’s lawyer said they couldn’t be happier with the Crown’s decision, given how long the constable has had to put his career on hold, but there are still some hurdles to overcome.
“He may be reinstated, there’s a lot of options under the Police Act,” Nelson’s lawyer, Brad Mitchell, told Global News on Monday.
“He could be suspended, he could be demoted, he could be terminated, his employment could be terminated, he could be fined. It could be a combination of those things.”
Mitchell said hopefully a conclusion regarding Nelson’s future with the Saskatoon Police Service is reached soon so both Nelson and the force can have this situation behind them.
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