You may not have known the name Elizabeth Purcell, but there were high hopes resting on the shoulders of this English woman. Purcell who is an attorney had been hired on a one-year contract as a Police Crown Counsel to head its Prosecution Branch.
But she left the job on Monday only weeks after signing the contract. Police Minister Doug Singh confirmed today that she will not be returning to the post.
According to Singh, while the loss is regrettable the department will be seeking a replacement and the government will still be proceeding with plans to open a "Special Court" which will be tasked to hear certain types of criminal cases expeditiously. It was envisioned that Purcell would lead the charge in that court but that plan now has to be revamped.
And what sent her off so quickly? 7news has received reliable reports that Purcell had difficulties with the Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl Lynn Vidal and she felt that those could not be worked out.
Of note is that Purcell formerly worked in the DPP's office as a crown counsel but also left that post in May. As the head of police prosecutions she would have needed to work along with DPP Vidal, but according to our reports they could not reach an accord.
It throws a major wrench in the works for government's overall crime initiative which sees the prompt delivery of justice as a critical element.
