National

B.C. Court Reveals Reasons Why It Refused To Move Serial-murder Trial

Dirk Meissner The Canadian Press, 25 Sep, 2014 05:16 PM

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. - A public opinion poll failed to sway a B.C. Supreme Court judge to move a high-profile serial murder trial from Prince George to Vancouver.

The decision on the change of venue for the murder trial of Cody Legebokoff was made in December 2012, but a publication ban was only lifted recently after he was convicted of four counts of first-degree murder.

During the hearing Legebokoff's lawyer, James Heller, claimed there had been extensive media coverage and some of the pre-trial publicity had connected Legebokoff to the murders or disappearances of women on the so-called Highway of Tears between Prince George and Prince Rupert.

The defence paid for a public opinion poll that raised a spectre of bias, but Justice Glen Parrett said the survey offered little in deciding if the court venue should be changed.

Parrett refused to grant the move and said the tools were in place for a fair trial to take place before an impartial jury in Prince George.

Legebokoff was convicted by a jury earlier this month and sentenced to life in prison for the murders of Cynthia Maas, Jill Stuchenko, Natasha Montgomery and Loren Leslie.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. teachers get a helping hand from the province's labour movement

Labour leaders in British Columbia are expected to announce later today financial aid for the province's striking teachers, who will themselves take a vote on binding arbitration.

B.C. teachers get a helping hand from the province's labour movement

No element of Canada's new prostitution law should target women, advocates say

No element of a proposed new prostitution law should criminalize prostitutes themselves, a coalition of women's groups said Wednesday.

No element of Canada's new prostitution law should target women, advocates say

Federal program focuses on "root causes" of missing aboriginal women

One of the Conservative government's key programs on missing and murdered aboriginal women includes a focus on "addressing the root causes," despite the prime minister's suggestion that sociology isn't the right lens to use.

Federal program focuses on "root causes" of missing aboriginal women

BMO offers five-year, fixed mortgage rate of 2.99 per cent - again

The Bank of Montreal has slashed its five-year, fixed mortgage rate to 2.99 per cent, a level that had previously raised concerns about it leading to an overheated housing market.

BMO offers five-year, fixed mortgage rate of 2.99 per cent - again

New regulations must balance consumer, broadcaster needs, says BCE

Consumers will get less and pay more, and jobs will be lost, under proposals being debated this week to modernize television program delivery, the country's broadcast regulator has been told.

New regulations must balance consumer, broadcaster needs, says BCE

Stock up on ramen noodle: cost of university to rise 13 per cent over four years

Students will need deeper pockets to study at Canadian universities over the next four years with annual fees projected to rise 13 per cent on average to $7,755, having almost tripled over the past 20 years, according to a new report.