Court Halts Assault Charges for Deaf Man | Calgary News

Calgary News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 6, 2026 · 1m

Deaf and non-verbal, Kendal Longclaws’ serious sexual assault charges have been thrown out by Alberta’s top court — not because of his alleged crimes, but because prosecuting him would violate his right to a fair trial. With no recognized sign language and no ability to read, write, or speak, the court found no way to ensure he could understand or participate in proceedings. The Crown pushed for a mental fitness assessment, but the defense argued that even if he had a disorder, his communication barrier made such an evaluation impossible. The appeal judges agreed with the trial judge’s ruling…