R4V4G3D_SKU11S
TRIBE Member
www.cp24.com
For the first time in almost three years, David Colter is a free man. He was cleared of second-degree murder charges Wednesday, after information that may have come from a recently arrested co-accused. Both the former suspect and the family of the man he was accused of killing are stunned by the sudden change.
Salim Jabaji was stabbed to death at the Docks Nightclub in February 2001. Colter was arrested and charged in the crime, and the victim’s family made the long trek from Niagara Falls more than 150 times to watch justice being served. Now they don’t know what to think.
“It seems to me that we are back to ground zero,” laments Jack Jabaji, Salim’s dad. “The mistake here is with the justice [system]. They kept delaying it, delaying it, all the time.”
Colter is both relieved and amazed by the unexpected turn of events. “I think there’s a problem with the justice system here,” he notes in a statement. “Because this has cost me three years of my life.” His lawyer, Rob Nutall, echoes those sentiments. “It's a tragedy that it's taken so long for the Crown Attorney to withdraw the charge, but thank God the nightmare's over for David,” he says.
So what happened to change the Crown’s mind? It’s not immediately clear, but it may centre on the other man accused in the crime. Jeff Tuck was out on bail, but was re-arrested in last week’s huge drug raid in Markham. It’s believed information gleaned from his new detention may have lead to the sudden switch. Tuck will be back in court Thursday.
For the first time in almost three years, David Colter is a free man. He was cleared of second-degree murder charges Wednesday, after information that may have come from a recently arrested co-accused. Both the former suspect and the family of the man he was accused of killing are stunned by the sudden change.
Salim Jabaji was stabbed to death at the Docks Nightclub in February 2001. Colter was arrested and charged in the crime, and the victim’s family made the long trek from Niagara Falls more than 150 times to watch justice being served. Now they don’t know what to think.
“It seems to me that we are back to ground zero,” laments Jack Jabaji, Salim’s dad. “The mistake here is with the justice [system]. They kept delaying it, delaying it, all the time.”
Colter is both relieved and amazed by the unexpected turn of events. “I think there’s a problem with the justice system here,” he notes in a statement. “Because this has cost me three years of my life.” His lawyer, Rob Nutall, echoes those sentiments. “It's a tragedy that it's taken so long for the Crown Attorney to withdraw the charge, but thank God the nightmare's over for David,” he says.
So what happened to change the Crown’s mind? It’s not immediately clear, but it may centre on the other man accused in the crime. Jeff Tuck was out on bail, but was re-arrested in last week’s huge drug raid in Markham. It’s believed information gleaned from his new detention may have lead to the sudden switch. Tuck will be back in court Thursday.
