Charges against Jamie Bacon stayed

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Charges have been essentially been dropped against the man accused of plotting the murders of six men in Surrey over 10 years ago.

An application by Jamie Bacon’s lawyers to have the charges against him stayed, but the reasons have been sealed by BC Supreme Court.

Bacon had been charged with first degree murder and conspiracy to commit the murder of Corey Lal, one of the victims of the Surrey Six killings in October 2007.

Eileen Mohan, whose son Christopher was killed as an innocent bystander, is devastated. “I just want to scream and scream to the end of the world. How can this happen?”

“Innocent lives and families’ lives were destroyed. My son is buried. My life is totally destroyed,” Mohan tells NEWS 1130.

LISTEN: A segment of NEWS 1130’s interview with Eileen Mohan

“And all the dreams and aspirations we had as a family — all lost,” she says, holding back tears.

“We depend on the justice system to protect us. And this is what the justice system gives us. It’s unacceptable. And I cannot do a thing about it.”

Mohan isn’t sure yet whether she will look into civil action. “I’m just gathering my thoughts at the moment. I don’t want to comment about that. At the moment, I’m just processing this, honestly. And it’s such a difficult pill to swallow and accept.”

“I don’t know how I’m going to survive this.”

Ed Schellenberg, a 55-year-old fireplace repairman, was another innocent bystander who was killed.

Dan McLaughlin, spokesman for the BC Prosecution Service, says the court has set strict limits for what can be shared with the public in the case. “The public, however, should have confidence that these issues were explored in great detail and that the Crown worked diligently with the investigators to bring the issues before the court and argue them fully.”

The Crown says it is considering an appeal.

“We’re reviewing the matter carefully. We have 30 days to file our appeal. We expect to make a decision for that,” says McLaughlin.

He says the issues explored by the court in the ruling centre on issues of privilege.

“Solicitor-client privilege, litigation privilege, confidential informer privilege, public interest privilege, the protection of witnesses — those are the sorts of issues that the court was wrestling with when it came to its conclusion.”

BC Attorney General David Eby has issued the following statement:

“When I learned of the Supreme Court of British Columbia’s decision to stay the charges for James Kyle Bacon, I was shocked, as I’m sure all British Columbians are right now.

I write these words today with tremendous disappointment.

The families of the victims and all who have been impacted by this terrible crime deserve peace, and they will not find it today.

The BC Prosecution Service will be reviewing the court’s decision closely to identify possible avenues of appeal.

It is important to note that the individual remains in custody on other related charges.

I am confident that the BC Prosecution Service will complete their review as soon as possible.”

In 2014, Cody Haevischer and Matthew Johnston were convicted of six counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in connection to the case.

Haevischer and Johnston, both Red Scorpion members, were each given life sentences in December 2014.

The Crown’s theory at their trial was that the gang’s bosses ordered the men to murder Lal, a rival drug trafficker, and the other five were killed to eliminate witnesses.

Another man pleaded guilty to break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence for his part in the slayings. He was originally charged with manslaughter in addition to the break-and-enter charge

Bacon remains in custody on a separate charge of counselling the murder of an individual. A trial for that case is set to begin in April. The Crown says he has not applied for bail on that charge, but would not oppose his release.