Sylliboy to change his plea to guilty

Trial was slated to begin April 27 in killing of Jamie Blair in Millbrook

TRURO, N.S. - A Millbrook man scheduled to start a fiveweek trial in April for first-degree murder has served notice he plans to change his plea to guilty.

Kevin Brian Sylliboy, 27, is charged with killing Jamie Blair, 46, early Easter morning in 2018 at the deceased’s home in Millbrook.

A five-week judge-and-jury trial was scheduled to begin in Truro April 27. But Sylliboy’s defence lawyer, Zebedee Brown, said in a hearing on Thursday that his client now wants to forego a trial.

“I do have instructions to go ahead and enter a change of plea,” he told the court via telephone. “Mr. Sylliboy has indicated to me he wants to move things forward as fast as these things can be moved forward…” so he can begin his prison sentence.

Sylliboy, who is being held on remand at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Burnside, had planned to enter his guilty plea via video conferencing Thursday. However, just as the proceedings were set to begin, the court received word from the jail that Sylliboy had “acted up” at the facility and would be unable to appear.

A return date has been set for March 3, when Sylliboy is to reelect to judge alone and change his plea. At that time, asentencing date is to be set. An opportunity will also be provided for victim impact statements to be heard.

Co-crown attorney Patrick Young told the court he anticipates having an agreed statement of facts ready to send to Sylliboy’s lawyer by Feb. 21. But he said the Crown will not be “advancing a joint recommendation” for sentencing, which is expected to take place in May.