Former NS deputy charged with violation of ban

A former sheriff’s deputy was indicted in Halifax county court on Thursday on charges of violating a publication ban on the identity of a teenager who allegedly stabbed two staff members at a Bedford high school in March.

Ali Zaki Khairalla Al-Hindal, 30, from Bedford is accused of posting identifying information about the 15-year-old boy on social media on March 20, the day of the stabbings.

Al-Hindal faces one charge of violating publication bans under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Defense attorney Alex MacKillop appeared in court by telephone on behalf of Al-Hindal, who was not present.

MacKillop told the court that he had not yet received the evidence against Al-Hindal from the Crown. He asked to postpone the case for about a month so that he can obtain the material and review it with his client.

Judge Perry Borden had scheduled the case to appear in court on July 21 for a plea on the summary charge.

Borden said he will seek counsel’s views the following day on whether an outside judge should hear the case if it goes to trial, or even if there is a contested hearing following a guilty plea.

Halifax Regional Police announced the charges against Al-Hindal on May 25, saying they were made aware of social media posts identifying the youngster in late March.

Investigators determined that the offensive information was allegedly posted by a sheriff’s deputy, police said.

Al-Hindal is no longer employed by the Justice Department, a spokesman said in May.

Police responded to a gun call at Charles P. Allen High School on March 20 at approximately 9:20 a.m. A student had stabbed a deputy principal and an administrative assistant during an incident at the school’s headquarters.

The boy was arrested nearby around 9:30 am. He is charged with two counts each of attempted murder, aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and carrying a concealed weapon and single counts of possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of a weapon knowingly unlawful and mischief was.

The employees were taken to hospital with serious injuries, but were in stable condition after treatment, police said. They were released from the hospital within a few days.

The suspect, who reportedly injured himself with a knife, was treated in hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

The Crown announced on March 21 that if the boy is convicted, it may apply to have him sentenced as an adult.

The boy had to undergo a psychiatric examination in April. The doctor who conducted that examination told the court that the boy was mentally fit to stand trial.

On June 15, the boy pleaded not guilty to all charges during a video appearance by the Nova Scotia Youth Center in Waterville.

He will appear in court on June 28 for a bail hearing. The trial data will also be discussed.

The teenager is also charged with property mischief in an incident on March 2 in Bedford. The charges will also be heard in court on June 28.