Charges of interfering with a dead body and breach of trust have been stayed against a former B.C. coroner accused of inappropriately touching a murder victim during an examination.
Kenneth Glen Mattinson, 64, appeared in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster on Jan. 23.
The investigation into Mattinson芒鈧劉s actions began in March 2009, when forensic identification officers were collecting evidence at the scene of the murder of 36-year-old Laura Lamoureux in 91原创. One officer noticed what appeared to be a pattern of 芒鈧損ossibly criminal behaviour芒鈧� by the coroner.
The officer told Integrated Homicide Investigation Team members, who turned the investigation over to 91原创 RCMP serious crimes.
Mattinson芒鈧劉s examination at the scene of the homicide of 22-year-old Brianna Kinnear in Coquitlam in February 2009 was also called into question.
Following a preliminary inquiry in January 2013, charges of interfering with a dead body and breach of trust were dropped in connection with Kinnear芒鈧劉s case.
Crown spokesman Neil MacKenzie said the Crown determined there was not sufficient evidence to proceed to trial on the charges.
芒鈧揅rown concluded after hearing the evidence at the preliminary inquiry they would not seek committal on those charges,芒鈧� he said.
Mattinson was ordered to stand trial on the charges in the Lamoureux case, but after considering the evidence from the preliminary inquiry and the fact that at the time of the alleged offence the B.C. Coroners Service had a policy allowing head-to-toe examination of a body at the scene by the coroner, Crown decided last week to stay the charges.
芒鈧揥hile it may have been conducted in what appeared to be an insensitive manner... it was not conduct that the Crown could prove was criminal,芒鈧� MacKenzie said.
Mattison retired from the B.C. Coroners Service shortly after the investigation into his actions began.
- Jennifer Saltman is a Vancouver Province reporter.
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