The long nightmare is finally over for Eddie and Jessica Maurice.

Just shy of two years after that fateful night in February of 2018 during a confrontation between him and Ryan Watson on his rural property near Okotoks, the long drawn out legal process has finally come to an end.

Both Maurice and Watson dropped their civil suits against each other Thursday, January 16, in a Calgary courtroom.

Eddie says he's breathing a sigh of relief.

"It's finally over, it's finally done. It's been a very long two year process on us as a family, having to endure this. It's affected our kids, they feel the pressure, they feel the stress. Finally we can just move on."

Maurice says things never should have been allowed to get this far.

"I think it's ridiculous. It's just nonsense. It shouldn't have been allowed from the start. You know, I really hope that with this Bill 27, that the Alberta Government put in place that federally they look at this too, to bring it across Canada, because this should never have to happen to someone else."

A visibly relieved Eddie and Jessica Maurice are looking forward to getting back to a more normal life.

Watson, who was convicted of trespassing and mischief back in 2018, was shot in the arm by a ricochet fired by Maurice.

Maurice was arrested and charged, but had those charges dropped last Spring.

Watson filed a civil claim for $100,000 in September, with Maurice filing a counter claim for $150,000 days later.

Maurice says not everything to come out of the experience is bad, but it has been life-changing.

"It has brought a lot of attention to rural crime across Canada and I think forever, or for the long term, anything that happens in rural crime my name is just a second behind it. They'll be looking at this case from the criminal side and the civil side as well."

Maurice says the entire process has been a huge strain on both him and his family and he's glad it's finally over.

 

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