Del Pinto’s father confident of getting justice

Leo Del Pinto, 25, of Calgary was killed on Jan. 6 in the small town of Pai in northern Thailand during a fight with the off-duty officer Sgt. Uthai Dechawiwat. The officer has been charged with premeditated murder and attempted murder, but has insisted the shooting was an accident.

Del Pinto’s father, Ernie, and his lawyer met Monday with David Sproule, Canada’s ambassador to Thailand. Ernie says that he’s confident justice will be served.

“I really am,” Ernie Del Pinto told reporters. “I was (worried) because you hear everybody saying, ‘You are never going to get justice, you are never going to get justice.’

Del Pinto’s lawyer, Adriano Iovinelli, said they are satisfied with the outcome of the meeting.

“We have been assured that this is a high priority with the Canadian government, that everything that can be done is being done,” he said. “Further than that, I cannot get into specifics about the actual investigation.”

“We understand that he is now off-duty,” he said. “We don’t have full confirmation of that, but needless to say we’ve been ensured that three different levels in Thailand have investigated this matter and it’s being taken very seriously by Thai officials.”