Alberta’s criminal defence lawyers say Edmonton Police Chief Warren Driechel is threatening a judge through his comments this week surrounding a high-profile manslaughter case.

Shawn King, president of the Edmonton Criminal Trial Lawyers’ Association, also says the police comments amount to extortion and vigilantism and threaten to undermine the integrity of the justice system.

King made the remarks in a statement after Driechel, in an interview Wednesday, said publicly releasing details of the case remains an option for police.

A charged with second-degree murder pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter in the killing of an eight-year-old girl, whose body was found in a hockey bag in the back of a truck in 2023.

The woman has yet to be sentenced, but a manslaughter conviction usually

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