Man accused of killing Renee Sweeney changes lawyers, trial delayed
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Lacy is known for having child pornography charges against a Sudbury doctor withdrawn.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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Some emergency rooms across Canada shutting down amid staff shortages
Hospitals overwhelmed by the pandemic’s onslaught are still facing a number of challenges, causing unprecedented wait times in emergency rooms across the country.

'Defeated and discouraged': Airport frustrations sour Canadians' summer travel plans
CTVNews.ca asked Canadians to share their travel horror stories as cancelled flights, delays and lost luggage throw a wrench in Canadians' summer travel plans, due in part to staffing shortages at Canadian airports. Some report sleeping at airports and others say it took days to get to or from a destination.
Gunmen killed in Saanich bank shootout identified as twin brothers
Twin brothers in their early 20s were responsible for the shooting that injured numerous police officers at a bank in Saanich, B.C., earlier this week, RCMP alleged Saturday.
TD 'significantly' downgrades home sale, price forecasts
A new report from TD says Canadian home sales could fall by nearly one-quarter on average this year and remain low into 2023.
Dwindling salmon stocks mean endangered B.C. orcas are going hungry, researchers say
Researchers in British Columbia say the province's endangered southern resident orcas have not been getting enough food for years, with some of the worst bouts of hunger occurring since 2018.
Calgary's new 'Museum of Failures' aims to spark creativity
It's been said no one's success is complete without failure, but a new international exhibit in Calgary is proving that even some of the most talented innovators had some of the worst ideas for consumers.
Importing dogs from more than 100 countries to be banned in Canada
Animal rescue groups are criticizing a new policy by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that will ban the import of dogs from more than 100 countries.
Gas prices see long weekend drop in parts of Canada, but analysts say relief not likely to last
The Canada Day long weekend saw gas prices plummet in parts of the country, but the relief at the pumps may not stay for very long, analysts say. The decreases come after crude oil prices slid in June following the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes, sparking fears of a recession.
Anti-Taliban law could be tweaked to get more humanitarian aid to Afghans: minister
A law outlawing any dealings with the Taliban, which charities complain is impeding their ability to help needy Afghans, could be adjusted by the federal government to give more flexibility to aid agencies.