Family Challenges Decision Not to Charge in Teen's Fatal Stabbing
The family of a slain Edmonton teenager packed a courtroom this week, launching a legal challenge to overturn the decision not to prosecute the man who killed 13-year-old Eric Omeasoo. The emotional bid for a judicial review was heard in Court of King's Bench before Justice Wayne Renke on Tuesday.
Disputed Facts and Alleged Process Failures
Eric Omeasoo was fatally stabbed at Edmonton's MacEwan LRT station on February 5, 2025. The Edmonton Police Service did not pursue charges against Michael Lucier, who police described as a member of the "vulnerable inner-city community," after Crown prosecutors determined there was evidence the homicide was committed in self-defence.
Lawyers representing Rhonda Spence and Chasity Phillips - Omeasoo's grandmother and aunt - argue the court should review this decision because an "abuse of process" occurred. They pointed to several concerning discrepancies in how the case was handled.
Among the family's concerns are what they describe as "disconnects" in the treatment of Omeasoo's body after his death. Shockingly, the teen's body remained on the LRT platform in a body bag until the following day. The family also questions the official autopsy report that determined Omeasoo died from a single stab wound to the chest, noting that clothing returned to them suggests multiple wounds.
Contradictions in Evidence and Autopsy Findings
Further raising doubts about the investigation, lawyer Sharon Roberts highlighted that the autopsy report described the teenager as significantly heavier and taller than his last medical check-up. She characterized these findings as implausible, noting the "skinny youth" was apparently recorded as overweight in the report.
"There are no dots that are connecting here, and that's essentially what I think happened for the family," Roberts stated in an interview. "No dots were connecting, and this child is being blamed for his own death."
The incident unfolded when Omeasoo went to the MacEwan station to meet friends and exchange sweaters with another youth. He had told his aunt, who lived with his great grandmother near the station, that he would "be right back." According to Roberts' account to the court, the altercation began when one of the youths in Omeasoo's group spoke to Lucier and his partner, Mikaelah Hudson, about their smoking drugs in a glass enclosure on the LRT platform.
The situation escalated when Lucier allegedly responded with insults, prompting one of the other youth to strike Hudson with a backpack. While several youth and a young adult were charged with attacking Lucier and his wife, no charges were brought against Lucier for the fatal stabbing of Omeasoo.
The judicial review represents a determined effort by Omeasoo's family to seek accountability and challenge what they perceive as fundamental flaws in the investigation and decision-making process that followed the teenager's tragic death.
