Attempted murder case adjourned until December
An attempted murder case continues to drag on, and was adjourned again, this time for more than a month, following a brief hearing Tuesday in Lethbridge provincial court.
Robert John Sheppard, who appeared by closedcircuit TV from the Lethbridge Correctional Centre, isn’t scheduled to return to court until Dec. 5, when he is expected to have a bail hearing.
Crown prosecutor Clayton Giles said Tuesday the matter has been “dragging” along because of difficulties the accused has had with counsel since his arrest last April. Sheppard is currently working with his third lawyer who, Giles pointed out, needs time to review a considerable amount of disclosure that involves three separate incidents.
“Despite all of that, I want this matter to move along quickly” Giles told court.
Sheppard faces a single charge of attempted murder and charges of assault with a weapon, assault, discharging a firearm, resisting arrest, careless use/storage of a firearm, pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, unauthorized possession of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm/weapon in a vehicle, possession of a firearm/weapon obtained by the commission of an offence and carrying a concealed weapon.
Those charges relate to an incident April 15 in which police reported shots were fired in a home in the 100 block of Heritage Boulevard West. Four people safely escaped from the home and the area was cordoned off as police attempted to find the suspect.
The individual fled before the tactical team entered the home, but RCMP officers found him early the next morning and he was arrested near Granum following a police chase.
Sheppard also faces unrelated charges of assault, sexual assault and mischief causing damage, for which a trial date has yet to be scheduled. Those charges will be addressed Dec. 5, as well.
A third batch of charges — sexual assault with a weapon, sexual assault causing bodily harm, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, and two counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose — was scheduled for trial last September but had to be cancelled after Sheppard and his second lawyer parted ways. The trial is now scheduled for September of next year.
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