Maple Batalia family asks for justice at weekend memorial

Family and friends of a teen gunned down at Simon Fraser University in Surrey are holding a weekend memorial and asking for a faster judicial process.

Maple Batalia, 19, was an aspiring model, actress and SFU student. She was studying late four years ago on Sept. 28 when she was shot in the SFU parkade.

"She was focused on that train ride to success, but unfortunately she didn't make it to the stop," said her sister Roseleen Batalia.

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Her ex-boyfriend, Gary Dhaliwal, was charged with first-degree murder in December 2012, and is still awaiting trial. Another man, Gursimar Bedi, is charged with manslaughter and accessory after the fact.

A memorial for Maple Batalia started Friday morning at the Dasmesh Darbar Gurdwara, a Sikh temple in Surrey, and will last until Sunday evening.

"It's a three-day prayer and we're calling it, basically, a prayer to honour Maple," said Batalia.

"But also to pray for justice for her and for all those other families that have had to wait for years and years." 

Roseleen Batalia's sister says the slow court process has been difficult for her parents, and they're now pushing for quicker justice. 

Tables are set up for those wishing to sign a petition calling for justice reform to end trial delays, and for more resources to help victims' families.