Judge John Shaw, who sits in Calgary's Family and Youth Division, was placed on administrative leave after the indictment was announced on April 6.
The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service drops the assault charge laid in early April against Calgary Judge John Shaw in connection with events that occurred on March 28.
In an emailed statement, Sarah Langley, Chief Prosecutor for the Office of Specialist Appeals and Prosecutions, says the Crown Prosecution Service does not prosecute unless the evidence establishes a reasonable likelihood of conviction and that the matter is in the public interest.
This is a higher standard of proof than that of the police. The courts have an even higher standard to uphold. Before a person can be convicted of a crime, the case must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, the chief prosecutor continues.
Judge John Shaw, who sits in Calgary's Family and Youth Division, had been placed on administrative leave after the indictment was announced on April 6.
M. Shaw is on administrative leave and will not be assigned to any judicial duties pending the conclusion of legal proceedings related to this matter, the Court had said at the time.
Don MacLeod, counsel for Judge John Shaw, says the Court's decision was hoped for.
I am not at all surprised that the Crown, after objectively reviewing the evidence, came to the conclusion that there was no reasonable prospect of conviction and that it was simply not in the public interest to pursue this case, argues -il.
The judge's lawyer was unable to comment on when his client would resume judicial duties.
