By Thia James

Judge concerned about victim’s photo shown in court

Nov 1, 2014 | 9:04 AM

A Prince Albert Provincial Court judge has expressed his concern that the family of a man killed earlier this year is taking the victim’s photo into the courtroom.

Judge H.M. Harradence expressed his concern that members of the public were holding photographs in the courtroom, during Trevor Cook’s appearance on Friday morning.

Cook, 41, faces one count of second-degree murder in connection to the early September death of Cory Brown, 43.  He was in the prisoner’s box, with the photo of Brown in his line of sight.

Harradence told the court that it’s important to the court that it remains entirely independent, with regards to photos of Brown carried into the courtroom by family members in the gallery.

Outside of the courthouse, Brown’s brother, Curtis, expressed his own concerns – about the judge’s comments.

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Brown said that he sat through courtroom proceedings in the past where family members were allowed to have the photos during the lengthy trial. He noted that his family had Cory’s photo in the courtroom from the start of legal proceedings involving Cook.

For Curtis Brown, it’s upsetting that the judge would address the photos before the accused has entered a plea.

“We were addressed by the court just to keep them down, and it’s not a problem. And now we’re being told that it might be a problem? Well, you know, from here, I’m just going to go up and have a talk with the prosecutor and you know, if we can’t find a resolution to this and whatnot, then I’ll have a lawyer present as well for the next hearing and he’ll be with us and we’ll address it that way.”

He said that his brother cannot face the man facing charges in connection with his death.

“And you know, this is the only way that we can have part of Cory with us in court,” Curtis said. “And if they’re going to take that right away, well I’m going to pursue it even further.”

It’s important to Curtis that his brother be present in the courtroom in this way because he is dead, and he says Cory shouldn’t be.

“He [Cook] hasn’t entered a plea yet and this is going the third appearance, and you know, like what’s the difference between somebody, you know, that’s been assaulted or anything like that to be physically in there… there’s other ways than just photographs that we can have his presence here.”

He said he highly respects the judges, but said that one judge has said one thing and another has said another thing, and he wants them to get on the same page.

Cory Brown was found dead inside a residence in the 1100 block of 14th Street West. He had lived in Prince Albert for most of his life, but had recently moved to Saskatoon.

He was the father of a teenaged daughter.

Cory’s death has been hard on his family. Curtis said it is still kind of new for the very close family.

“Everybody is still hurting very deeply, and you know, they will be hurting for years to come.”

paNOW contacted the Crown prosecutor handling the Trevor Cook case, and did not get a comment before the time of publication.

Trevor Cook’s next court appearance is set for Nov. 13.

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames