A picture taken at the time of the incident in Feb, 2022. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court proceedings

Trial dates confirmed for Prince Albert child death case

Apr 4, 2023 | 1:00 PM

Two weeks have now officially been set aside in early next year for the trial of a man accused of murdering his 13-old-month son.

That was outcome of a pre-trial conference Friday at Prince Albert Court of King’s Bench. Kaij Brass will be tried by judge alone, beginning Feb. 26, 2024.

The 25-year-old is facing a charge of second degree murder in the Feb-2022 death of young Tanner Brass.

In the early morning hours of Feb. 10, police responded to a home on 23rd St. W.,for a complaint of a family dispute. Following the visit, they took the child’s mother to police cells.

However, just before 11 a.m. that same day, police went back to the home after a report of a homicide of a child. Once police arrived they found the young child dead and arrested the father.

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Tanner Brass. (Facebook)

In addition to the murder charge, Brass was also facing a second charge of assault from the same date. According to court records, the charge was stayed by the Crown on March 10.

The response by police to the West Hill home sparked criticism from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN). “Blatant discrimination” and “systemic racism” were the words used by leaders at a press conference.

Chief Bobby Cameron demanded change in the justice system and the local police force, explaining how the child’s mother pleaded with officers on multiple occasions at the home, in the police car, and in the prison cell to watch over her baby.

Both the FSIN and PAGC carried out their own investigation and said the mother was fleeing a domestic violence situation. When officers arrived, they assumed her fear was alcohol-related and arrested her for intoxication, ignoring her pleas for help.

The Prince Albert Police Service responded a week later, suspending two members with pay from active duty.

The Saskatchewan Public Complaints Commission also confirmed the investigation of the three supervisory officers who worked that same day. The investigation remains ongoing and as of Tuesday, no report had been filed.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell