In a divided courtroom, 1st day of Gerald Stanley preliminary hearing wraps up

The families ofaccused murderer Gerald Stanley and victimColtenBoushieboth say they're after only one thing the truth.

"That's all they want at the end of the day,"Boushiefamily lawyer, Chris Murphy, said outside NorthBattlefordprovincial court Monday during a break in Stanley's second-degree murder preliminary hearing.

"Let's get the evidence out. We can make decisions at that point," Stanley lawyer Scott Spencer told reporters. "That's a responsible way to deal with what was clearly a tragedy."

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The case has become a metaphor for race relations in the province.

History is top of mind for many, particularlyin theBattlefordsregion.

Timeline of Colten Boushie case

7 years ago

Duration 0:37

A preliminary hearing begins for Gerald Stanley, who has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in Colten Boushies death.

Theregion is site of key battles in the 1885 Resistance, as well as one of the largest mass hangings in Canadian history.

It's home to First Nations rights icon John B.Tootoosisand renowned Creepainter AllenSapp, whose work is on display next door to the courthouse.Tootoosis, from thePoundmakerFirst Nation, is the founder of what is now the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.

In the hours and days followingBoushie'sdeath last August, social media exploded with rumours of all kinds. Vitriolic posts wished violence onBoushie'sfriends and First Nations people in general.

A steak night was held to support Stanley's defence fund.

Recently, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities voted nearly unanimously to lobby the federal government for more latitude to defend themselves and their property.

The motion drew condemnation from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, which accused the rural associationof harbouring violent intentions when introducing the motion.

SARM deniedthere were any violent intentions association president Ray Orb said rural residents and farmers simply want to defend themselves properly.

Provincial Justice Minister Gordon Wyantquickly shot down the idea, stating the solution was policing and community programming.

NorthBattlefordMayor RyanBaterand others have said there is much work to do, but reconciliation will improve things for everyone.

A divided courtroom

In court, Stanley's supporters filed in and sat to the left,Boushiefriends and family members to the right. No one from either side spoke, nodded or looked over during the tense, emotional day.

Stanley had left his earlier bail hearing with an orangehoodieobscuring most of his face, but he walked in and out of court Monday past a throng of reporters.

He showed no visible emotion and declined comment, as didBoushie'smother, Debbie Baptiste.

Although the public is free to attend, contents of preliminaryhearings are subject to publication bans.

At its conclusion, Judge Bruce Bauer will decide whether there's enough evidence to order a full trial.

The preliminary hearing continues Tuesday and is expected to last to the end of the week.