Sudbury murder trial delayed again due to COVID-19
The second-degree murder trial of Robert Steven Wright was delayed again Monday due to COVID-19.
It emerged last Thursday that one juror had tested positive after a routine screening before a dental appointment. Officials then decided to wait until Monday to determine whether it had spread to other jurors.
Monday, court was told more jurors were infected and that one was too sick to participate at all.
Justice Robbie Gordon told the remaining jurors that officials are working on remote options for the affected jurors to continue, but those arrangements aren’t in place yet.
“What we need is more time,” Gordon said.
The court will make technological arrangements so the affected jurors who are able to participate remotely can do so on Tuesday, he said.
Until then, he told the remaining jurors to monitor themselves for symptoms.
“If you have symptoms, stay home,” Gordon said.
Wright, 43, is on trial for the murder of Renee Sweeny, who was stabbed to death Jan. 27, 1998, while she worked as a clerk at a video store at a Paris Street strip mall.
CTV Northern Ontario will be in court Tuesday morning when the trial is expected to resume.
Background
The brutal stabbing death of 23-year-old Renee Sweeney rocked the City of Sudbury to its core on Jan. 27, 1998.
Police searched for her killer for two decades and finally charged Robert Steven Wright, who was 18 years old at the time of the murder. He has been held in jail since his arrest in Dec. 2018.
After several delays, the trial began Feb. 21, 2023, just after the 25th anniversary of Sweeney's death.
CTV News Digital content producer Darren MacDonald is bringing the latest from the courtroom every day and will have full coverage of the trial here.
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