Judge rules trial of accused serial killer to start with jury

WINNIPEG — A judge has decided the upcoming trial of a man accused of killing four women in Winnipeg will still be heard by a jury, after the defence argued it should be heard instead by a judge alone.

Lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki told court this week that going ahead with the jury would infringe on his rights to a fair trial because of significant pretrial publicity.

The defence said there are concerns that two years of emotional and consistent media coverage may bias the jurors.

Manitoba Court of King’s Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal, who is overseeing the trial, ruled Friday that jurors, much like judges, are shaped by lived experiences but are able to remain impartial when given sufficient direction.

“The Canadian legal system starts from the presumption that with proper instruction of the trial judge, jurors are indeed capable of setting aside previous views and are indeed capable of acting impartial,” said Joyal.

“Impartiality does not require the juror’s mind to be a blank slate nor does it require them to abandon all previous life experiences for the purpose of the deliberation.”

The jury is scheduled to hear opening statements in the trial on Wednesday.

Skibicki, 37, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of firstdegree murder.

The partial remains of Rebecca Contois were found in a garbage bin and at a city-run landfill in 2022. Police have said they believe the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran are at a different, privately owned landfill outside of the city. The location of an unidentified woman who has been called Buffalo Woman is unknown.