Eric Latour, initially accused of aggravated assault on his partner Eve Chachai, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter since she died on Tuesday.
The charges were amended Friday morning at the Chicoutimi courthouse before Judge Michel Boudreault of the Court of Quebec.
The Atikamekw woman was attacked by her partner on the night of Sunday to Monday at the Montagnais Motel in Chicoutimi. Found unconscious and injured by first responders, she was taken to the Chicoutimi hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.
Eric Latour, 44, has a very long judicial record.
Still detained, he appeared Friday by videoconference from the Roberval detention centre. Dressed in a black t-shirt, the man did not say a word during the session.
Crown prosecutor Ms.e Marie-Ève St-Cyr, objected to her release. Her lawyer, Me Francis Boucher will, however, be able to make representations to request his release on September 6.
The courtroom was packed with loved ones, including members of the Atikamekw community of Opitciwan, where Ève Chachai was from. They had gathered before the hearing in front of the Chicoutimi courthouse to support her loved ones.
In a press release issued Friday, the organization Femmes Autochtones du Québec Inc. indicated that “this despicable and tragic act is yet another reminder of the violence suffered by Indigenous women and girls on a disproportionate scale.”
She points out that indigenous women are four times more likely to be victims of violence than non-indigenous women.
“The tragic death of Mr.me “Chachai brings back many past traumas experienced by Indigenous women and communities that have never really healed and whose ravages continue. The violent acts committed against Indigenous women are blows directly to the heart of the harmony of our communities,” said Marjolaine Étienne, President of Femmes Autochtones Québec.
She calls for combating systemic racism and discrimination, with a particular emphasis on preventative action: “We all have a role to play in ensuring a safe future for Indigenous women and girls, whether in communities or in urban areas.”