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Indigenous Healer Appeals Assault Sentence in Kelowna Courts
The alliance says the appeal risks retraumatizing six women and undermines community trust after Ashley received probation for one assault conviction.
- On Friday, Donald Ashley, a First Nations healer, appeared at the Kelowna Law Courts to appeal his sentence for simple assault, for which he was convicted in 2024 and sentenced to two years' probation.
- Originally charged with six counts of sexual assault, Ashley was convicted of one count of simple assault; defence counsel Mark Iyengar and Mark Nohra argued the sentence was an error in judgement, asserting the touching served a therapeutic purpose.
- Crown counsel argued the sentence was justified, stating Ashley breached trust with a vulnerable client and showed no remorse; prosecutors also defended the community impact statement's validity against defence claims of improper editing.
- The Okanagan Nation Alliance condemned the appeal earlier this week, stating it re-traumatizes victims. Penticton Indian Band Chief Greg Gabriel said, "The appeal re-triggers all of the hurt and pain that these women endured over two years of this long drawn-out court case."
- A decision on the appeal remains pending, requiring Ashley to return to court at a later date. He remains banned from all Syilx Okanagan Nation lands, a restriction in place since March 2025.
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Okanagan Nation Alliance condemns appeal of former Indigenous healer convicted of assault
The Okanagan Nation Alliance calls the appeal of a former Indigenous healer self-serving, and says it will only further traumatize six Sylix women who came forward alleging sexual assault in 2022. The accused Donald Ashley was convicted of a single count of assault, and sentenced to probation.
·Ottawa, Canada
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Total News Sources14
Leaning Left13Leaning Right0Center0Last UpdatedBias Distribution100% Left
Bias Distribution
- 100% of the sources lean Left
100% Left
L 100%
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