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Kevin Martin follows legal issues for the Calgary Sun - responsible for the day-to-day coverage of trials at the Calgary Court Centre, focusing primarily on criminal matters, as well as writing a column once ever two weeks on justice issues. Born in Montreal and spending his formative years in Ottawa, he's called Alberta home since 1984 and has been with the Calgary Sun, almost exclusively on the court beat, for more than a quarter century after receiving his journalism training at Algonquin College in Ottawa. His many years haunting Calgary's courtrooms give him a unique perspective on the law.
Some might say having lost her child by not getting him to a doctor in time is punishment enough for Calgarian Tamara Lovett.After all, the woman must be heartbroken, knowing had she sought medical intervention earlier, her son, Ryan, would be alive today.Lovett is on trial on charges of criminal negligence causing death
Despite the Robin Camp fiasco, Alberta courts are generally alive to the difficult issues that surround sexual assault cases.While the former provincial court judge found himself before the Canadian Judicial Council for his mishandling of a sexual assault trial, two cases this week illustrate a greater sensitivity to the complicated area of the law.
A recent decision by the Supreme Court to not weigh in on a Manitoba Court of Appeal ruling could have a major impact on Calgary drug dealers.The nation's top court refused to grant Curtis James Haas leave to argue why he shouldn't have been convicted of manslaughter in the drug overdose death of a young woman.
Some might say Michael Ilk got what he deserved and perhaps they’re right.
Regardless of who's to blame and what level of criminal responsibility they may bear, the death of young Alexandru Radita is a tragedy of horrific proportions.
It will up to Justice Eric Macklin to determine if quintuple murder suspect Matthew de Grood was suffering from a mental health breakdown so severe he didn't appreciate it was wrong to fatally stab five young adults at a Calgary house party.
They came oh so close to the perfect crime.
So Staff Sgt. Paul Wozney, the newly minted editor of the Calgary Police Association’s magazine, 10-4, is angry at tattle-tales on the force.
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The aftermath of crime can often be horrifically devastating.
There can be few things more tragic than losing a loved one at the hands of a criminal.Murders, thankfully, are rare in our society, but they still occur frequently enough to leave a long trail of sorrow-filled victims.While it's sad that a life is lost, it's the victim's loved ones who are left to suffer.It's an experience no one would wish on ano
Evil. It’s a word that conjures up images of the most inhumane conduct perpetrated on one human by another.
The open court concept is one of the most cherished tenets of our democracy.
Calgary is generally known as a safe place to live, one where residents can walk the streets at night in relative safety.
One would be hard-pressed to imagine a death more frightening than that suffered by Calgarian Dennis Barreira.
It's one of the most disturbing pieces of evidence ever made an exhibit in a Calgary courtroom.
They say time heals all wounds.
It may not have provided much solace to the family of slain U of C student Brett Wiese.
Little Ryan Lovett was so emaciated the day before he died a family friend correctly believed he was at death’s door, his mother Tamara’s negligence trial heard Wednesday.
Lawyers for four men charged in a series of violent robberies suffered a setback Wednesday in their bid to get allegations dropped due to unreasonable delay.Justice Bryan Mahoney ruled a 15-month trial adjournment granted to the defence because of late disclosure by the Crown had to lay at the feet of the accused.
Fatal shooting victim Cindy Enger asked a former boyfriend to take her life to end her pain, a wish caught on video, court documents show.
Tamara Lovett’s son could have been ill for nearly two weeks before developing the infection which took his life, her trial heard Tuesday.
The father of a slain Calgary man is angry his convicted killers could get off scot free.
Little Ryan Lovett lived in "comparative squalor" apartment with his mother, who is accused of negligently causing his death, court heard Monday.
Closing arguments in a high-profile sexual assault retrial are taking place this morning.
The kidnapping and rape of a teenage girl in the northeast subdivision of Taradale has been devastating to the community, court heard Friday.
Harsher sentences seem to have little impact on deterring drunk driving, a Calgary judge said Friday in sentencing a motorist who killed two people to 4 1/2 years in prison.
The passenger in a stolen truck in which the driver was fatally shot by Calgary cops was granted bail Friday.
The U of C basketball coach charged with sexually exploiting a player will face a preliminary inquiry next summer.
The Calgary woman present when police fatally shot a truck theft suspect this week was in court Thursday on her own criminal allegations.
Convicted killer Natalie Pasqua is looking for a new lawyer to represent her on kidnapping, robbery and other charges.
Calgary cancer faker Jennifer Halford pleaded guilty Tuesday to multiple fraud charges.
Two of three suspects in a Forest Lawn homicide from earlier this month are still trying to work out who their lawyers will be.
Day one of a two week preliminary inquiry commenced Monday for a Calgary masseur charged with sexually assaulting eight female clients.
The January trial of HIV-positive sex assault suspect John Joseph McNamara has been derailed.
The suspect in the stabbing of a city woman whose young daughter was thrust into the role of hero, will be examined by a psychiatrist.Nurdin Allaudin Dossa, 68, appeared briefly Monday in Calgary provincial court, where Crown and defence lawyers ask that his case be adjourned for two days.
Purported Calgary gang leader Nick Chan will remain behind bars pending a murder trial next September in an execution-style killing, a judge ruled Monday.
CALGARY — A man charged in the shooting death of a Canadian Football League player will appear for a preliminary hearing next May.