Edmonton's legal community was thrown into turmoil last week as the city's top Crown prosecutor and his deputy were abruptly removed from their positions, with minimal explanation provided to either the public or their colleagues.
Sudden Departure of Senior Prosecutors
Chief Crown prosecutor Scott Niblock and assistant chief Crown Ryan Abrams are no longer with the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, the organization confirmed in a statement to Postmedia. The ACPS declined to elaborate on the circumstances surrounding their departure, citing private human resources information as the reason for their silence.
According to sources familiar with the situation, both prosecutors were escorted out of the prosecution service's Edmonton office located in the Brownlee building on Thursday, November 13, 2025. Multiple attempts to reach Niblock and Abrams for comment were unsuccessful.
Unprecedented Police Criticism Preceded Removals
The leadership changes come just months after the Edmonton Police Service took the extraordinary step of publicly criticizing the Crown's handling of a sensitive child homicide case. On September 8, 2025, police Chief Warren Driechel signed a letter addressed to Kimberley Goddard, the assistant deputy minister in charge of ACPS.
The letter, authored by Megan Hankewich, acting head of EPS's legal department, objected strongly to an alleged plea deal in the case of a woman accused of murdering an eight-year-old girl under her care in 2023. EPS later released this letter to the media, marking an unusual public airing of disagreements between police and prosecution services.
Hankewich's letter expressed concern that the Crown was considering allowing the woman to plead guilty to manslaughter with an eight-year sentence being discussed with the defence. Given the extensive abuse the Indigenous girl suffered before her death, police argued such an outcome would bring the administration of justice into disrepute and constitute a significant miscarriage of justice.
Office Morale and Professional Impact
A prosecutor who spoke to Postmedia on condition of anonymity revealed that no explanation has been provided to staff about the sudden leadership changes. The source described the atmosphere in the office as deeply affected, noting that Niblock's departure has had a chilling effect on the entire office.
We're all speechless, the anonymous prosecutor stated, highlighting the shockwaves the removals have sent through Edmonton's legal community. The timing of these personnel changes, following closely on the heels of the very public disagreement with police, has raised questions about whether the two events are connected.
In her September letter, Hankewich had threatened to publicly release disturbing information about the case if the Crown didn't withdraw the alleged plea deal. She also noted that EPS investigators are frequently aghast with prosecutorial decisions and warned that police would advocate in the public forum for a stronger prosecution service if changes weren't made.
The accused in the child homicide case was ultimately permitted to plead guilty to manslaughter on September 10, though the eight-year joint submission alleged by EPS was not put forward. Prosecutor Terry Hofmann indicated the woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, will face a contested sentencing hearing early next year.
