Millard will apply for legal aid for defence

A convicted killer who is heir to a multi-million-dollar aviation company will apply for legal aid to help fund his defence in two upcoming murder trials.

Dellen Millard, who was convicted of first-degree murder along with Mark Smich in the death of Tim Bosma in June, told court Friday he cannot access his assets in order to hire lawyers.

He and Smich are charged with first-degree murder in the death of Toronto woman Laura Babcock and Millard alone is charged with firstdegree murder in the death of his father, Wayne Millard, whose death was initially deemed a suicide.

Both of those trials have been delayed as Millard continues on without a lawyer.

On Friday, Justice John McMahon set the date for the trial in Wayne Millard’s death for March 20, 2018.

Last week, the trial for Babcock was pushed back from February to September 2017.

Court also heard Friday that Millard will file two motions in the spring.

The first, Millard said, is a motion to quash the direct indictment in the Babcock case.

Skipping preliminary hearings is rare in Ontario. There are two civil matters that have complicated matters, Millard said. His company, Millardair, which he inherited after his father died in 2012, is in receivership and the Bosma family has filed a $14-million lawsuit. Millard cannot inherit his father’s estate because he is charged with his murder.

Lawyers for the civil case as well as legal aid lawyers are scheduled to return to court next Friday to help speed up the process.