Former Drumheller Town Councillor Karen MacKinnon has been found guilty of breaching an order by the court for not tempering her tone on social media.
MacKinnon was charged in 2011 with defamatory libel. She has made comment towards a Senior Town of Drumheller employee and the Town’s legal council. These charges were stayed in October of 2012 after she entered into a common peace bond with a number of conditions. While the order allowed her to use social media during the term of the order, future postings in relation to the named in the order shall be “ civil and temperate.”
She returned court in early 2014 charged with breaching this order.
On Friday, December 18, Judge L.W. Robertson found her guilty in a written decision.
A statement of facts, agreed to by the crown and MacKinnon stated that her comments were made on social media, theses comments were about the two individuals named and that they were not civil or temperate.
MacKinnon elected to call no evidence in the trial and while she did file a notice to present a notice of a constitutional argument, when she was given opportunity to take the stand on her own behalf, she declined.
Judge Robertson found her guilty of the breach.
MacKinnon is scheduled to return to court on January 15 to speak to setting a sentencing date.
