Judge says man charged in 2012 election shooting should get state-funded lawyer
MONTREAL – A judge has ruled that a man charged in Quebec’s 2012 election shooting should have access to a state-funded lawyer.
Justice Guy Cournoyer says while Richard Henry Bain is currently unable to pay for a lawyer, he has demonstrated he should be able to reimburse the province in the future.
Cournoyer said today the court believes state-funded counsel is as much in Bain’s interest as society’s in order to have the case dealt with in a reasonable time period.
Bain is charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder after an attack at a Montreal club in September 2012 as Pauline Marois celebrated the election victory of her Parti Quebecois.
Lighting technician Denis Blanchette was fatally shot and colleague David Courage was wounded as they stood near a doorway to the downtown Metropolis nightclub where Marois was giving her speech.
He has previously been ruled ineligible for legal aid, resulting in his initial lawyer recusing herself from the case.
Bain is also facing several weapons charges as well as some relating to arson in the same incident.
The case has been postponed until May 23 to allow for the government and Bain’s lawyer to come to an agreement on funding and repayment.
Jean-Marc Tremblay, the defence attorney who has agreed to defend Bain, says the negotiations are already underway.
“I’m very confident you’ll find reasonable terms,” Cournoyer told lawyers.
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