Murder pre-trial set for Halloween Day
Posted Feb 15, 2011 11:28:37 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The lawyers involved in the murder case of a Halifax prostitute were at odds Tuesday when trying to set a date to start the preliminary inquiry.
In the end, 18 days were set aside starting on October 31st so both sides can examine the evidence against Steven Elliot Laffin, 36. He is charged with second degree murder in the death of Nadine Taylor, 29.
Crown attorney Susan MacKay explained she was looking for a date starting in January 2012 because her co-council was already scheduled in another murder trial throughout the fall.
Defence council Kevin Burke told the judge his client has been in custody since his arrest in October 2010 and they requested an earlier date. The judge ruled in his favour.
Judge Hughes Randall told MacKay to prepare herself for those dates whether she had co-council or not.
“I know there have been a lot of serious incidents which have been tying up crown attorneys,” MacKay told reporters outside the courtroom Tuesday morning. “Obviously my co-council is involved in a murder trial at the same time that the dates have been set for the preliminary inquiry. I’ll probably not be seeing him as co-council on this file. I’m hoping when I get back to the office we’ll be available to find someone else who can assist in the preliminary inquiry in Mr. Laffin’s murder matter.”
September 6th has also been set aside for a pre-trial conference, which will be an in-camera session in the judge’s chambers.
