UPDATE: The Crown withdrew attempted murder charges against both men Feb. 19.
Two men facing charges following a pair of incidents at an Inverness Co. First Nations community are scheduled to stand trial in June.
Police say officers responded to multiple 911 calls of a man being chased by two other men on Portage Rd. in We’koqma’q in August; that was followed by more 911 calls reporting a hit-and-run on Hwy. 105 in the area, which was related to the first incident.
They say the victim was taken to Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.
RCMP say they arrested two men and a woman at a home in the community.
Joshua Lindsay Paul, 26, and Robert Lindsay Paul, 35, both from Eskasoni, originally faced counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and obstruction, with Joshua Paul also facing multiple breach charges; they made their first appearance in the case in Port Hawkesbury Provincial Court the day after their arrests, and were sent back into custody.
Joshua Paul was released from custody on conditions in November, while Robert Paul remains in custody; they started their preliminary inquiries, which determine if there is enough evidence to send their cases to trial, in Wagmatcook Provincial Court Feb. 19.
The Crown withdrew their attempted murder charges, they eventually waived their rights to the hearings later in the day, and they were committed to stand trial; they had four days set aside for their trial- June 15-18- during a hearing Wednesday.
Jenilee Kaitlyn Francis, 19, of Eskasoni has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and obstruction; she was released on conditions in September, and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing June 12.
Police say the suspects and victim were known to each other, and it’s not considered a random act.
