Phoenix Sinclair inquiry OKs publication ban for relatives

The identities of four family members of Karl McKay, one of two people who killed five-year-old Phoenix Sinclair in 2005, will be kept shielded at a Manitoba public inquiry looking into the child's death.

Ted Hughes, the commissioner overseeing the Phoenix Sinclair inquiry, approved a publication ban on Tuesday for McKay's three children and former spouse.

The publication ban means no names or images of the individuals can be published or broadcast. They will be identified only as Doe 1, 2, 3 and 4.

McKay was convicted of first-degree murder in the death of Phoenix in 2005 on the Fisher River First Nation. Samantha Kematch, who was Phoenix's biological mother and McKay's girlfriend, was also convicted of first-degree murder.

McKay's family members have said they were subject to harassment and bullying after they testified at the murder trial for McKay and Kematch.

On Tuesday, Hughes agreed that revealing the identities of thefamily memberswould further victimize them. Furthermore, he said identifying them would not benefit the inquiry.

"I find that there is a risk to the personal health and/or safety that could result from revealing the identities of Does 1, 2, 3, and 4 to the public," he said.

The public inquiry has been looking into the circumstances surrounding Phoenix's death. The young girl had lived much of her short life in and out of Manitoba's child and family services system.

Meanwhile, a decision is expected Wednesday on a conflict-of-interest claim against lawyer Kris Saxberg, who has been representing several Manitoba CFS agencies as well as the supervisor who closed Phoenix's file in March 2005, not long before her death.

Last month, Hughes said Saxberg appeared to be in a conflict of interest in representing multiple clients, based on conflicting testimony from some of those clients.