Killer again seeks bail pending 2019 retrial

The killer of a Calgary bartender sought bail Friday — the second request in less than a year.

Lawyers for Kyle Ledesma argued over whether he should be granted freedom until his retrial early next year for a 2010 murder at a city bar.

A publication ban covered the content of submissions made by Crown prosecutor Hyatt Mograbee, who opposed the release, and defence counsel Rebecca Snukal, who argued in favour of it.

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Kristine Eidsvik reserved judgment on the matter, saying she’ll deliver her decision on July 26.

Ledesma, 32, was convicted in 2015 of the second-degree murder of bartender Dexter Bain, who was shot during a botched robbery at Our Place Pub on Nov. 27, 2010.

His bid for bail last October was rejected by Justice Michelle Hollins.

Last April, the Alberta Court of Appeal ruled Justice Sal LoVecchio made errors in allowing evidence from a Mr. Big operation in the original trial.

It concluded LoVecchio failed to balance the prejudicial effect of Ledesma’s confession to undercover officers in that sting operation against its probative value to the prosecution.

Following the original jury trial, Ledesma was sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in prison without full parole.

The two-week retrial is scheduled to begin Jan. 14, 2019.

Ledesma has been incarcerated at the Kent Institution, a maximum-security prison in B.C., and mostly at the Calgary Remand Centre since the spring of 2017.