THE CORONER'S INQUEST into the death of Rodney Jackson two years ago near Hazelton wound down for the week after five days of witness testimony.
Coroner Shane DeMeyer, who's overseeing the inquest, gave instructions to the jury, who then went into a separate room to deliberate until they had reached a decision.
Although testimony was expected to be finished yesterday from the 27 witnesses and today was set for jury deliberation, it took all day today to finish hearing testimony from the last two witnesses.
About 20 people, including several members of Jackson's family, including one of his children and his uncle, sat in the gallery to listen to the questions from the three lawyers – Cameron Ward for the Jackson family, Andrew Kemp for the RCMP and Rodrick MacKenzie for the inquest – to the witnesses.
In Sept. 27, 2009, an RCMP Emergency Response Team of seven officers attempted to arrest Jackson at his camp outside Hazelton.
Jackson was shot and later died in hospital.
The coroner's inquest jury of five people will decide on the manner of Jackson's death – accidental, homicide, natural, suicide, or undetermined – and could make recommendations to help prevent another death.