CANADA
CBC News
A Nunavut court judge has dismissed an application by Crown counsel Doug Curliss that sought special permission to cross-examine Eric Dejaeger on the facts underlying his previous convictions.
The former Oblate priest, now 66-years-old, is now on trial in Iqaluit facing dozens of charges alleging sexual abuse against children in Igloolik three decades ago.
Curliss made an application to revisit Dejaeger’s convictions in court Monday. Dejaeger was convicted on charges of sexual assault in Baker Lake in 1989 and again in 1991.
In a written judgment issued this morning, Justice Robert Kilpatrick denied the application.
He pointed out that Canadian common law prevents Crown prosecutors from presenting evidence of bad character, “unless or until the defendant puts his or her character at issue.”
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