Man accused of killing Renee Sweeney changes lawyers, trial delayed
Man accused of killing Renee Sweeney changes lawyers, trial delayed
Man accused of killing Renee Sweeney changes lawyers, trial delayed
Sudbury -
There has been another delay in the Renee Sweeney murder court case as the man accused in her murder has changed lawyers two weeks before his trial was set to begin.
Robert Steven Wright was charged in December 2018 with murdering Sweeney in 1998. He has been in jail since his arrest.
A man accused of second-degree murder in a case dating back 22 years in Sudbury, Robert Steven Wright, has been denied bail for the second time. (File photo)
The trial was supposed to begin in May, but because of concern that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could force a postponement, Justice Gregory Ellies rescheduled it to Oct. 25.
In a court hearing Tuesday morning, Wright's lead counsel, defence lawyer Berk Keaney, declared a conflict. Keaney told CTV News all parties agreed that it would be proper for him to step aside as lead counsel. Michael Lacy will take his place.
Lacy is known for having child pornography charges against a Sudbury doctor withdrawn.
Michael Venturi is another lawyer on the defence team. When asked if he will remain on the case, he told CTV News "that is to be determined."
"This matter returns to criminal assignment court on Nov. 2 to set new dates for the pre-trial motions and trial," a court clerk told CTV News in an email.
Wright was an 18-year-old high school senior when Sweeney, 23, was brutally stabbed to death at Adults Only Video on Paris Street, where she worked as a clerk.
Police supplied photos of Steven Wright who would have been 18 at the time of Renee Sweeney's murderThe investigation into her killing produced few leads until late 2018 when Greater Sudbury Police arrested Wright while he was at work in North Bay.
None of the allegations has been proven in court.
With files from Darren MacDonald, a digital content producer for CTV News Sudbury
Correction
The change in Wright's lead council is due to a conflict declared by Berk Keaney.
Fallen R&B superstar R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison Wednesday for using his fame to subject young fans - some just children - to systematic sexual abuse.
Police in Saanich, B.C., kept an area near a bank evacuated overnight as they continue to investigate a possible explosive device linked to a deadly gunfight with two suspected bank robbers.
Five months ago, the first 'Freedom Convoy' trucks rolled into Ottawa. After the federal government took the unprecedented step of invoking the Emergencies Act to end the protests, a series of inquiries and probes have been initiated. With the nation's capital bracing for more protests over the Canada Day weekend, CTVNews.ca takes a look at where the main commissions and studies stand.
A mother of three children is speaking out after spending a night on the floor of Toronto Pearson Airport with her young kids in a nightmare weekend of travel.
A toddler accidentally left in a vehicle for hours died Tuesday and police said his father was found dead in an apparent suicide at their Virginia home, police said.
Canada has signed an agreement to upgrade the NATO battlegroup it leads in Latvia to a brigade, a move that signals its commitment to the military alliance while continuing to resist calls to boost defence spending.
Canada's transport minister is speaking out about the 'unacceptable issues' that continue to result in significant delays. He says the federal government has done everything in its control to fix the issue.
Through the use of MRI technology and spearheaded by researchers at Western University, the cause of long COVID symptoms have been identified for the first time.
A proposed $150-million settlement with Purdue Pharma Canada covering all provinces and territories has been reached for the recovery of health-care costs related to the sale and marketing of opioid-based pain medication.
Check your Lotto Max tickets because someone in Simcoe County is holding the winning numbers from Tuesday's draw worth more than half a million dollars.
Police in Barrie urge business owners to ensure their security measures are in good working order with the long weekend approaching and thieves targeting catalytic converters.
Canada's transport minister is speaking out about the 'unacceptable issues' that continue to result in significant delays. He says the federal government has done everything in its control to fix the issue.
Ontario is more than doubling the maximum rate a landlord can raise a tenant's rent next year – marking the highest rent increase guideline in the province in a decade.
Anne-Marie Ready, 50, and Jasmine Ready, 15, died from stab wounds following an incident at a home on Anoka Street Monday night, police said Wednesday afternoon.
"We choose not to celebrate the ongoing colonization, oppression and genocide of Indigenous peoples of this land," Moo Shu Ice Cream said in a social media post.
The family of a Black four-year-old who was removed from school by police has filed a lawsuit against the Waterloo Catholic District School Board seeking $1 million in damages for what they says is the board's discrimination and negligence.
Road safety is an issue that affects everyone from drivers to pedestrians and cyclists and Wednesday evening, a community town hall is taking place in Walkerville to discuss ways to make city streets safer for all users.
Ahead of the hustle and bustle of festival season in Montreal, Quebec health officials are asking people to stay vigilant amid rising COVID-19 numbers.
Recent data shows more than half of all flights in and out of some of Canada's major airports are being cancelled or delayed, as frustrations for travellers mount due in part to increased summer travel and not enough airport staff.
A 27-year-old Montreal woman has been sentenced in New York State following her conviction of 'trafficking in protected wildlife,' according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
An RCMP officer who was among 22 people killed in the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting was remembered today during a regimental service in Halifax that recalled her brave actions.
A mother of three children is speaking out after spending a night on the floor of Toronto Pearson Airport with her young kids in a nightmare weekend of travel.
A provincial task force is teaming up with Doctors Manitoba to release a new tool that will help Manitobans monitor the pandemic backlog of surgeries and diagnostic tests.
Recent data shows more than half of all flights in and out of some of Canada's major airports are being cancelled or delayed, as frustrations for travellers mount due in part to increased summer travel and not enough airport staff.
A severe thunderstorm only lasted about 10 minutes, but Nathan Canning says that was enough time to blow the entire roof off his Quonset barn and cause thousands of dollars' worth of damage to his Langdon property.
The Calgary Police Service confirms a 16-year-old has been charged following an investigation into reports the teen had tried to hire someone to commit a murder for them.
A man accused of second-degree murder in a case dating back 22 years in Sudbury, Robert Steven Wright, has been denied bail for the second time. (File photo)
Police supplied photos of Steven Wright who would have been 18 at the time of Renee Sweeney's murderThe investigation into her killing produced few leads until late 2018 when Greater Sudbury Police arrested Wright while he was at work in North Bay.
