Accused polygamist Winston Blackmore skipping preliminary trial
Posted September 2, 2015 7:50 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It’s the curious case of Winston Blackmore, a man accused of having more than two dozen wives.
Blackmore elected to have a trial by judge and jury. NEWS 1130 legal expert Michael Shapray explains the prosecution then asked the Attorney General for a direct indictment.
“By doing that and having the Attorney General agree to that, it means that the matter will go straight to trial at the British Columbia Supreme Court and the accused will no longer have the option of having a preliminary inquiry.”
The preliminary inquiry would be in place to prove the prosecution had enough evidence for the case to go to trial.
“This is just the start, but it certainly means that things will probably proceed quicker because they are avoiding the preliminary inquiry at the provincial court,” says Shapray.
Setting a trial date is next on the agenda.
