Scheduling of Dennis Oland’s new murder trial in the bludgeoning death of his multimillionaire father has been delayed by about a month’s time after a court hearing in Saint John lasting mere minutes.
In court this morning where scheduling of Dennis #Oland‘s retrial has been set over until September 5. pic.twitter.com/YMLX7xFznk
— Laura Lyall (@LauraLyall) August 8, 2017
Lawyers on both sides of the courtroom were seeking the delay. P.J. Veniot, who was the lead Crown prosecutor for the first Oland trial and is returning for the second, told the court that there are some issues that need to be ironed out.
“Hopefully during the month of August we’ll be able to do that so we’ll be much better prepared for the next court appearance on September 5,” Veniot said.
On the right side of the courtroom was Oland family lawyer Bill Teed, who was there on behalf of Oland and his defence team. Also in court was Crown prosecutors Derek Weaver — who was on the prosecution team for the first trial — and Jill Knee — who, along with Veniot, make up the three-person prosecution team for the Oland retrial.
Veniot says the length of the trial will probably be determined on or after September 5th and they’re hoping the trial will happen next year.
“We’re hoping it will happen next year and whatever court dates are available and defence counsel is available — the Crown is ready to proceed.”
Justice Terrence Morrison will be presiding over the Oland retrial.
Dennis Oland was convicted in the 2011 death of his father, high-profile businessman Richard Oland, of the family that owns Moosehead Breweries, but his conviction was overturned by the New Brunswick Court of Appeal and a new trial was ordered over the judge’s instructions to the jury on a brown jacket, a key piece of evidence.
