Murder conviction appealed
Joel Lawrence Clow appeals seconddegree murder conviction and parole eligibility in 2015 death of Traci Lynch
A P.E.I. man who was found guilty of second-degree murder in September is appealing his conviction and sentence.
Joel Lawrence Clow is serving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 17 years after he killed Traci Lynch in 2015 in Pleasant Grove.
In his notice of appeal filed Nov. 22, Clow said one of the grounds of appeal was that he didn’t receive a fair trial.
Clow also said evidence admitted during the trial was hearsay and shouldn’t have been allowed.
Lynch died on July 24, 2015, of strangulation and a blunt-force blow to the head.
An autopsy found she was badly beaten with injuries to her neck, face, torso, extremities and back.
Clow acknowledged his actions were responsible for Lynch’s death, but he denied that he meant to kill her.
P.E.I. Supreme Court Justice Nancy Key found Clow was aware of what he was doing, but the Crown didn’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed first-degree murder.
While Clow is appealing his conviction, Crown attorney Cyndria Wedge has filed a cross-appeal seeking to have him convicted of first-degree murder with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Wedge also filed a notice of motion to have the court assign legal counsel to Clow who is so far self-represented on the appeal.
He did have a lawyer during the trial.
Clow sought counsel for the appeal through legal aid but was advised it would not represent him unless the court ordered it.
In an affidavit, Clow said he wasn’t able to represent himself or respond to the appeal himself because he didn’t have the qualifications as a lawyer.
Clow also said he will need a lawyer for the appeal because he is illiterate and has difficulty understanding written material.
Wedge said in her affidavit on the motion that she believed it was in the interests of justice that counsel be appointed for Clow.
A court of appeal judge will hear the motion for the assignment of counsel on Jan. 17.