CRYSTAL RHYNO – Herald-Tribune Staff
The parents of murdered Victoria teen Reena Virk will not allow the Canadian justice system to have a hold on their lives.
Even as another setback in the fate of Kelly Ellard, the woman accused in the 1997 murder of their daughter, opens old wounds, Manjit and Suman Virk are remaining strong by telling their story.
“We want to do positive things and that’s why we go to schools and talk to kids in the communities,” said Manjit yesterday from his hotel room after arriving in the city.
“It’s just not worth it because the system itself will keep you in that quagmire forever. We never expected this to happen. The way things are now, it’s anybody’s guess what’s going to happen next.”
Ellard was convicted of second-degree murder in 2000, but that decision was overturned on appeal and a new trial ordered. A second trial in 2004 ended in a hung jury, and a third ended in 2005 with another second-degree murder conviction.
The B.C. Court of Appeal overturned Ellard’s latest conviction last September by ruling that the judge at her third trial erred. Now the 11-year-old case stands before the Supreme Court to determine whether a fourth trial is warranted.
“It’s so unpredictable … how the system allows people to keep using the loopholes,” said Manjit, who still lives in Victoria with his wife. “And the defence keeps going to a greater cost to everyone. And the system allows it. That’s the sad part.”
Suman said the case has taken too long and every time something happens in the courts, her family relives the tragedy.
“You get back that feeling of how could these horrible people have done such a horrible thing,” said Suman. “That is tough to deal with. When Kelly Ellard is over and done with for good, I think that will be a big relief. We don’t have to deal with this in the media again, again and again.”
Manjit and Suman are in Grande Prairie for three days to talk to kids in the schools, and the public about what happened to their daughter, their frustrations with the justice system and bullying. Manjit will also discuss his book, Reena: A Father’s Story.
“Now we’re at that point in our life, we know what we want rather than dwelling on the negative,” said Manjit. “We want to focus on the positive and help young people in the community and teach them and share our story so they can make a difference.”
Suman echoed her husband’s sentiments, indicating they have always tried to educate the public about bullying and gang violence by sharing.
“We want to be able to help people understand in some way what we went through,” she said.
On Nov.14, 1997, 14-year-old Reena Virk was swarmed and beaten by eight teenagers in Victoria’s Gorge waterway.
The Crown alleged Ellard, then 15, and 16-year-old Warren Glowatski then followed Virk across a bridge and continued the attack. A week later her body was found floating in the water.
Six girls were convicted under the Young Offenders Act for assault causing bodily harm for the initial attack and sentenced to various jail terms. Ellard and Glowatski were tried as adults and convicted separately of second-degree murder.
Presented by the Community Action on Crime Prevention, the Virks will speak at the Peace Country Safety Resource Centre on Thursday at 7 p.m.
To register phone 882-7813 or e-mail crimeprevention@cityofgp.com
With files from the Canadian Press
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