Lifestyle
Saskatoon store pulls launch of Neil Stonechild book; date was same as his death
(Photo from InspireABook website)
SASKATOON—A Saskatoon bookstore has pulled the scheduled launch of a book about the police officers who were fired after an aboriginal teenager froze to death.
McNally Robinson reconsidered a book signing with Candis McLean this Wednesday after realizing the date fell on the 25th anniversary of the day Neil Stonechild died.
McLean’s book is titled “When Police Become Prey: The Cold, Hard Facts of Neil Stonechild’s Freezing Death.”
McLean presents evidence that she says exonerates former Saskatoon police officers Larry Hartwig and Brad Senger.
They were never charged, but an inquiry did conclude that the officers had Stonechild in custody prior to his body being found on the city’s outskirts on Nov. 25, 1990.
Jason Roy, who was with Stonechild on that night, says he’s relieved McNally Robinson is pulling the plug on the book launch out of respect for Stonechild’s friends and family.
Roy said he was disgusted when he learned about the new book and when it was set to be launched.
“I see it as a clear indicator of the lack of respect for this young boy’s life that was lost.
It puts a bad taste in my mouth,” Roy told CKOM Radio. “I don’t believe for one second that they didn’t realize the significance of that date.”
He said he feels the bookstore has since taken “the right point of view when it came to this sensitive subject.”
Roy, along with family and other friends of Stonechild, is holding a remembrance dinner this week.
He still stands behind his story 25 years later.
“My perspective is never going to change. I know what happened. I was there.”
Roy told the inquiry he saw the 17-year-old Stonechild screaming for help in the back of a police car. Hours later, the teen’s frozen body was discovered. The cause of death was hypothermia.
The inquiry also heard the teen had wounds on his wrists consistent with being in handcuffs.
Hartwig and McLean plan to hold a news conference on Tuesday.
