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Still no trial date for officer charged in South Surrey man’s shooting death

Const. Elizabeth Cucheran is charged with aggravated assault and assault with a deadly weapon
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Jennifer Brooks outside Surrey Provincial Court in November, where she, her mom Donna Gauti, and others attended the start of the preliminary inquiry into her son Hudson’s July 2015 police-involved shooting death. (File photo)

It will be at least another month before trial dates are set for the officer charged in connection with the July 2015 shooting death of Hudson Brooks in South Surrey.

Thursday, proceedings that had been scheduled in B.C. Supreme Court to fix the dates for a judge-and-jury trial were adjourned till mid-April.

The delay marks the second time that setting dates to hear the case against Const. Elizabeth Cucheran has been put off.

Following a preliminary inquiry that wrapped up in Surrey Provincial Court in December with an order for Cucheran to stand trial, dates had been anticipated to be set on Feb. 14. Those proceedings, however, were adjourned to March 14.

READ MORE: Officer charged in South Surrey man’s shooting death ordered to stand trial

Late Thursday afternoon, BC Prosecution Service spokesperson Alisia Adams confirmed the second adjournment.

“I understand it was adjourned for further discussions with counsel,” Adams told Peace Arch News.

It’s now due back in court on April 18 – exactly three months shy of the fourth anniversary of Brooks’ death.

READ MORE: Few answers after South Surrey man shot dead by police

Brooks, 20, died on July 18, 2015, after what police initially described as a physical struggle outside of the South Surrey RCMP detachment, located in the 1800-block of 152 Street.

The altercation also resulted in an officer being transported to hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound.

It was later confirmed that only police-issue firearms were found at the scene.

In October 2016, the Independent Investigations Office recommended that charges be considered against a then-unidentified officer.

READ MORE: IIO advises charges be considered in South Surrey police-shooting death

More than a year later, in December 2017, charges of aggravated assault and assault with a deadly weapon were announced against Cucheran.

The officer elected in January of last year to be tried by a judge and jury, and eight days were set aside for the preliminary inquiry. There is a ban on publication of any of the evidence heard during those proceedings.

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Mother Jennifer Brooks (right) and daughter Shayla celebrate in December 2017, after learning an officer had been charged in Hudson’s death. (File photo)
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Hudson Brooks. (File photo)


Tracy Holmes

About the Author: Tracy Holmes

Tracy Holmes has been a reporter with Peace Arch News since 1997.
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