Edmonton Police oppose plea deal - a welcome intervention or attack on crown independence?

In this week’s episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast, Rob Breakenridge takes a closer look at a case in Edmonton that has made national headlines: the horrific murder of an eight-year-old girl and the very public - and controversial - opposition from Edmonton Police to a possible plea deal for the accused killer.To some, including Alberta’s premier, it’s a welcome jolt to the system and an expression of the frustration that many are feeling about perceived leniency for serious crimes. To others, though, it’s a breach of the important lines of independence that exist in our system between crown prosecutors and police and a potential slippery slope.In this episode, we’ll hear from Scott Newark, a former Alberta crown prosecutor and executive with the Canadian Police Association. We’ll also have some perspective from Deborah Hatch, an Edmonton criminal defence lawyer and Alberta director with the Canadian Council of Criminal Defence Lawyers