Brandon Noftall elects trial by jury
Noftall is charged with murdering his stepfather, Bobby Noftall, last December
A man accused of murdering his stepfather has elected a trial by judge and jury.
Brandon Noftall appeared in provincial court in St. John’s by video from Her Majesty’s Penitentiary briefly Tuesday morning, when dates were set for his preliminary inquiry. The eightday inquiry, after which a provincial court judge will determine whether or not there’s enough evidence to send the matter to trial at Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court, is set to begin on Oct. 20.
Noftall, 26, has been in custody since Dec. 18, when he was charged with seconddegree murder in connection with the death of his stepfather, 41-year-old Bobby Noftall, in Renews earlier that day. Sources say Bobby Noftall had been stabbed.
In addition to murder, Noftall is facing two assault charges, as well as charges of assault with a weapon and uttering threats in relation to an incident alleged to have occurred in November 2019. He is also charged with five counts of breaching court orders, including an allegation that he violated an order prohibiting him from carrying or possessing a knife. He has elected to be tried in provincial court on those matters and will make his next appearance on those charges Sept. 9.
Noftall had originally been represented by a lawyer with Legal Aid who was forced to withdraw from the case due to a conflict of interest. Noftall then made an application to Legal Aid for funding to pay for a private lawyer.
Between 2008 and 2018, the provincial government allowed Legal Aid clients charged with murder or manslaughter to choose a lawyer in private practice, if they preferred. That option no longer exists, but the director of the Legal Aid Commission can grant exceptions in extenuating circumstances.
After considering Noftall’s application, the commission denied his application and he is currently represented by Legal Aid’s special defence unit, with Jason Edwards as primary counsel and Candace Summers as co-counsel.
Kathleen O’reilly is prosecuting the case for the Crown.