Donna Bartlett (centre), the grandmother of Marcedes Myran, walks to the Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba building in downtown Winnipeg, where the trial of Jeremy Skibicki, the man accused of killing Myran and three other Indigenous women is set to begin, on Monday, April 29, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Daniel Crump.
WINNIPEG – Crown prosecutors are pushing back on a motion from the defence to toss out the jury in the trial of a Winnipeg man accused of murdering four women.
The defence is asking that the case of Jeremy Skibicki be heard by a judge alone and not by a jury.
His lawyers are raising concerns about the possible effects of pre-trial publicity on the jury, which was selected last week.
The have brought in a U.S.-based psychologist Christine Ruva to hear her views about the possible effects of pre-trial publicity on juror biases.
However the Crown is questioning the relevance of such testimony given Ruva is testifying about a jury trial in Canada based on research that focuses on the legal system in the United States.
Skibicki has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder.
He was arrested in the deaths of Morgan Harris, Marcedes Myran, Rebecca Contois and a fourth unidentified woman Indigenous leaders have named Buffalo Woman.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2024.
