New lawyer, trial dates required for N.S. man accused of burning dead body
KENTVILLE, N.S. — A person accused of indecently interfering with a Hants County man’s body is seeking to switch lawyers and have a new trial date set.
On Nov. 2, Devyn Adam Dennis, 29, of Lockhartville, attended a Supreme Court appearance in Kentville.
Dennis is charged with breaking and entering at a residence on Ridge Road in Kings County on May 24, 2020; indecently interfering with the human remains of Robert Michael Campbell by burning a vehicle with his body inside it in St. Croix; intentionally causing damage, by fire, to a motor vehicle; and two counts of willfully attempting to obstruct or defeat the course of justice.
In May 2023, he pled not guilty to all counts and elected trial by Supreme Court judge alone. Twenty days were set for trial, due to start Nov. 14.
Read more
On Oct. 19, an application to remove Zeb Brown as the solicitor of record was granted, and the trial dates that were set were vacated.
At the Nov. 2 appearance, defence lawyer David Hirtle told the court he was still getting brought up to speed on the case. He wasn’t sure if he was being retained as Dennis’ legal representative and indicated that if he was, the trial likely couldn’t be held until later in 2024.
Justice Gail Gatchalian said the court would place a “high priority” on getting the matter scheduled due to how long this case has already been working its way through the system. She advised another judge, likely from Halifax, would hear the trial.
Crown prosecutor Shauna MacDonald informed the court she thought 15 days would be adequate for the trial rather than the initial 20.
Hirtle was asked to confirm if he will be retained as Dennis’ lawyer by the next scheduled court date of Nov. 29.
Earlier this year, Darroll Murray Atwell, 45, another person charged in relation to indecently interfering with Campbell’s remains, changed his pleas to guilty on three of five charges he was facing. Gatchalian presided over that Aug. 31 plea change. A sentencing hearing for Atwell is slated for Nov. 24.
