Alleged Arsonist’s Lawyer To Appeal Bail Denial
Friday, July 03, 2009 at 13:51
The lawyer for a teen accused of setting a fatal fire in a La Ronge apartment building says he plans to appeal a judge’s decision not to release his client on bail.
In court this morning, Judge Wilf Tucker ruled that 19-year-old Blake David Norman will stay in police custody, as requested by the Crown.
Norman’s lawyer, Ron Piche, says he plans to appeal Judge Tucker’s decision.
“We’re not in agreement with the provincial court judge, and hopefully there will be a fresh look at it, upon review by the Queen’s Bench,” Piche says.
If a Queen’s Bench judge agrees to hear the case, Piche hopes to have it before the court in Prince Albert by early August.
Piche says if the case does proceed to trial, he is not likely to apply for a change of venue.
“I’m not all that concerned at this time with respect to having a jury pool that’s been tainted by any of the press. I’ve been involved in other cases where that pressure, that fear is a lot more profound than we have here,” he says.
After hearing Judge Tucker’s verdict this morning, Norman reacted with a loud sigh, and shook his head several times.
He is expected to appear in court again on July 20.