The Suspense Is Killing Me
Court to rule on Robert Pickton appeal today
The Canadian Press
VANCOUVER -- The B.C. Appeal Court will hand down a decision today over the conviction of serial killer Robert Pickton.
Some family members are hoping the former pig farmer actually wins his appeal.
If the court upholds the six second-degree murder convictions, the Crown has already indicated it won't go ahead with the remaining 20 murder charges again Pickton.
But many family members of those 20 women want a trial, including Lori-Ann Ellis, whose sister-in-law Cara is on that list.
Ellis says it's unfortunate that she has to hope the convictions will be overturned so they can have their day in court.
The Crown has launched a cross appeal over the trial judge's decision to split the original 26 murder charges into two trials.
Police moved into Pickton's Lower Mainland farm in 2002, setting off a massive murder investigation that uncovered body parts, blood samples, bone fragments and victims' belongings.
posted by John Allore @ 6/25/2009 08:18:00 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
How much does it cost to have a trial?
Are they trying to save money, or just time?
Clearly, this is what the families want.
Pickton Appeal Denied:
http://www.cknw.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLocal/Story.aspx?ID=1106862
VANCOUVER/CKNW(AM980)
Nafeesa Karim | Email news tips to Nafeesa
6/25/2009
The BC Court of Appeal has denied the appeal of serial killer Robert William Pickton.
The ruling means Pickton’s six second-degree murder convictions in December 2007 will stand, for now.
The decision comes from two complex rulings from the Court of Appeal.
Pickton's appeal was denied in a 2-1 split decision.
But the court has unanimously sided with the crown, which argued for a new trial on first-degree murder charges on all 26 cases, not just the six that were heard in 2007.
There is a catch, however. A new trial on all 26 counts will only happen if it is ordered by the Supreme Court of Canada.
The BC Court of Appeal hasn’t ordered a new trial. Chief Justice Lance Finch has ruled there is no useful purpose for a re-trial on the six counts of second-degree murder because even if they were converted to first-degree convictions, Pickton’s sentence would be the same as it is now- life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Pickton will now have to decide whether to take this decision to the Supreme Court of Canada.
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