Double-jeopardy argument fails in conviction appeal for banished First Nations man – Times Colonist

Hǝ’ Yǝł’ Kǝn pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire to a house on the reserve lands of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation in 2019.

An Indigenous man who burned his house down with his mother can’t argue he was punished twice for being both banished by his First Nation and jailed by the Crown, the Court of Appeal of B.C. has ruled.

The May 2 decision came as part of a ruling rejecting an application by Eddy Walter Cliffe to extend the time to appeal his conviction in burning down his own house in June 2019.

Cliffe pleaded guilty to intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire to a house on the reserve lands of the Wei Wai Kum First Nation, also known as the Campbell River Indian Band.

The Wei Wai Kum First Nation also banished him from its lands for six months.