Just two weeks after a judge urged acceleration of the court proceedings involving Matrix Gathergood, another delay has occurred.
Gathergood’s lawyer explained on Aug. 13 in Provincial Court in Salmon Arm that his client had been at Okanagan Correctional Centre in Oliver, so he travelled to see him. However, unknown to him, Gathergood had been moved to the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre.
On July 30 in Salmon Arm court, the presiding judge had said he wants to see “movement” in the case.
The next court date is set for Aug. 27 in Salmon Arm, when five minutes is being set aside for a video appearance from Kamloops.
Gathergood has been charged with the first-degree murder of one man and aggravated assault in the wounding of another at a local church on April 14.
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At city council’s Aug. 12 meeting, Staff Sgt. Scott West of the Salmon Arm RCMP spoke briefly of the RCMP’s involvement in the murder case. He said police have provided Crown counsel with a number of disclosure packages, and the investigation and prosecution are on track. About $32,000 from RCMP coffers has been spent so far, he said, which can be handled in its existing budget.
West spoke of Police Based Victim Services, which has been working with people involved. He said PBVS had 156 new clients in the first quarter of 2019, 108 of whom were referred by police. He said the city’s support of PBVS and the SAFE Society is appreciated as it contributes to providing support to victims of crime in the area.
The community-organized session that was supported by the city and held in the aftermath of the shooting helped connect citizens who were not directly involved but were traumatized due to the tragedy occurring in the community, West added.
“It really does shake the foundation of our community for some people.”
@SalmonArmmarthawickett@saobserver.netLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
