Michael Ball looking for aid to pay for second trial

KITCHENER — Michael Ball is hoping the legal aid he was denied will be reinstated so he can fight his second murder trail.

The hearing on whether Ball will receive provincial money to pay his legal costs will be held at the Kitchener courthouse on Nov. 30.

On Friday, Ball briefly appeared in court, accompanied by his mother Rosemary, to set a date for the hearing.

High-profile Toronto lawyer Paul Burstein is representing Ball at the hearing.

Ball applied for legal aid and was denied and also lost his appeal. This new process asks the court to consider another application ordering the province to fund his legal defence.

Burstein said the application has three criteria: whether the accused’s liberty is in danger, is the case serious and complex, and is there another way the defendant could retain counsel.

Burstein would not speak about whether his client could afford another trial.

Legal aid is designed to pay legal bills for people with low incomes.

Ball, 24, of Kitchener was found guilty in March of committing an indignity to the body of his former girlfriend Erin Howlett, but the jury could not reach a verdict on a charge of firstdegree murder and mistrial was declared.

Crown attorney Mark Poland said Ball would be tried again.

For the first trial, Ball hired two top local lawyers, Brennan Smart and Andrew Bond.