'I was in shock': Crown witness claims memory loss in former chief's impaired driving trial
CBC
The trial for Darryl Marlowe, a now former chief of Łutselkʼe continued in Yellowknife on Wednesday.
Marlowe is charged with driving while intoxicated after crashing a snowmobile in Łutselk'e back in January 2021. He was also charged with assault that same night – but those charges have since been stayed.
During a courtroom break, Marlowe told CBC News that he resigned as the chief of Łutselk'e about three weeks ago.
"Very stressful things caught up to me," Marlowe said, when asked about the reason for his resignation.
Marlowe's mother-in-law, Doris Catholique, testified as the final witness for the Crown prosecutor.
The trial was last postponed in May, when Catholique told the court she was unavailable because she needed to travel as a medical escort.
But on the stand Wednesday, Catholique said she had no recollection of the snowmobile incident – or the two separate statements that she gave to police.
According to Catholique, she went into "a state of shock" after receiving a "random call" the night of the snowmobile incident.
"Some lady called me. I think she was high," she said. That's when she "freaked out and called the cops."
Crown prosecutor, Billi Wun, repeatedly questioned Catholique. "Are you saying you don't remember telling the police?" he asked.
"When I gave the statement, I was in shock," said Catholique. "Growing up, I was traumatized and I forget things."
"I don't remember anything … I didn't see anything." She repeated similar comments several times.
Wun said that Catholique's testimony in court was inconsistent with her statements to police, as neither mentions anything about receiving a call from someone else and "relaying that info to police."
He said that in both statements, she clearly describes watching Marlowe drive off in a snowmobile.