Man to stand trial for attempted murder
Man also faces charges from unrelated matter
ALethbridge man arrested last year after shots were fired at a westside home is preparing to stand trial on several charges, including attempted murder. Robert John Sheppard and his fourth lawyer, Andre Ouellette of Calgary, attended Lethbridge provincial court Tuesday where Ouellette said they may be able to set a trial date on the next court appearance Feb. 15.
Sheppard pleaded not guilty last August and elected to be tried by a provincial court judge. The matter has had to be adjourned several times since then, however, following repeated changes of counsel.
In addition to the single count of attempted murder, Sheppard also faces charges of assault with a weapon, 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.
The charges relate to an incident April 15 last year in which 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 man fled before the tactical team entered the house, but RCMP officers found him early the next morning and he was arrested near Granum following a police chase.
Sheppard also faces three charges of assault, sexual assault and mischief causing damage from an unrelated matter, for which a trial date has yet to be scheduled. He was also scheduled for trial last September on charges of 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, from yet another unrelated matter, but the trial had to be cancelled when he parted ways with his first lawyer. That trial is set to be heard in September.
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