The individual charged in connection with a Sept. 16 alleged abduction incident was back in court Tuesday.
Johnathan Ryann Gunville made his second brief appearance in provincial court before Judge Bruce Bauer.
Defence lawyer Bill Archer informed the court he had started receiving disclosure and had also asked that surveillance video be provided. He also said he was not in a position to run a show cause that day.
Oct. 9 was set as the next court appearance for Gunville, and he is remanded to appear that day by closed-circuit TV at 11 am. Gunville’s mother Tammy Lavallee was once again at the courthouse to support her son.
Gunville faces some 20 charges including counts of abduction of a person under 14, kidnapping, unlawful abandonment of a child, stealing a motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle in a manner dangerous to the public, among others. The charges are in connection to the Sept. 16 incident where a motor vehicle was taken from a strip mall in North Battleford. The girl was found safe the following morning.
In speaking to reporters after Tuesday’s appearance, Archer noted there was surveillance video out there that the lawyers still need to see.
“I haven’t seen any of that yet, nor has the Crown,” said Archer. “Before I make any major decisions on the file I would like to see it.”
Some further details of Gunville have also emerged from online Facebook posts. A Facebook page under the name “Johnathan Ryann Gunville” included a profile phot, apparently of Gunville, wearing a red bandana. Some of his positions were listed as “Boss at Taken Over” and “Works at On the Streets.”
On Aug. 23 his Facebook post read: “just got out of the regina corritional and stoon whas up everybody,” and added “168 dayz did”.
In his comments to reporters, Archer acknowledged Gunville is intellectually challenged and there had been a case in which an application was made on Gunville’s fitness to stand trial.
Archer also said he had received a few phone calls, including ones from former teachers, about Gunville.
He said there was a “lot of regret and remorse about Johnny in the sense that everybody feels we somehow all let him down,” said Archer.
The defence lawyer later said, “if the evidence is there for Johnny he will have to own up to what happened.”
But he added “Johnny is not an evil monster. He is a troubled kid, intellectually challenged.”
