A former top police officer is slated to appear before a judge Monday.
Harry Bakema, the former chief of the East St. Paul police force, is facing criminal charges for his role in the botched police investigation into the death of Crystal Taman.
Taman was killed in 2005 when her convertible was rear-ended by off-duty Winnipeg police officer Derek Harvey Zenk.
Zenk later pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death. He was originally charged with impaired driving causing death, but those charges were dropped.
In 2007 an inquiry was called, revealing a botched investigation by the East St. Paul police.
During the inquiry, Bakema took the stand testifying he did not suspect Zenk had been drinking.
"I couldn't detect any scent on him. I wanted to put him in a truck to see if I could detect anything on him," Bakema said in 2008.
But the inquiry commissioner didn't believe Bakema and said he gave false testimony and acted in bad faith.
Now Bakema is facing charges of perjury, breach of trust and obstruction of justice in connection with the case. In total, he faces charges for six counts.
Taman's family told CTV News last week they will follow Bakema's trial but will do so from a distance. They don't plan to be in court everyday and do not wish to relive the tragedy over again, they said.
In 2010 Robert Taman, Crystal Taman's husband, told CTV News, "We were pleasantly surprised because it was a positive. We're not used to dealing with positives. It was nice to have one."
Bakema's lawyer Hymie Weinstein wouldn't comment on the case last week as it is now before the courts. In the past, Weinstein said his client made mistakes but that those mistakes were not deliberate or in collusion with Zenk.
