Killer of Nunavut Mountie loses appeal

A Nunavut man serving a life sentence for killing an RCMP officer has lost his appeal of the verdict.

Pingoatuk Kolola was convicted of first-degree murder for killing 20-year-old RCMP Const. Douglas Scott in Kimmirut in 2007. He is serving alife sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.

Following a confrontation with his wife,Kololawas driving drunk around the community with his child in the vehicle when the truck became stuck on a stack of lumber. He got out of the truck, carrying a gun.

Whena police vehicle approached and stopped, Kolola shot at it and Scott was hit in theforehead. He died instantly.

Pingoatuk appealed the verdict, saying the trial judge had erred in three areas in his instructions to the jury. But in a written decision issued yesterday, the Nunavut Court of Appeal saidthere is no merit to the grounds of appeal.