Serial Killer Trial: Pickton Defence Appeals

Pickton's defence team has a new face after Peter Ritchie stepped off the team. The new face is that of Gil McKinnon, a lawyer who apparently knows his way around the appeals system quite well.

What this means is that most likely this trial will not move forward for another year.

Crown's appeal on Monday was, in fact, a preemptive move. After emotions calmed down and after I was forwarded some legal analysis of Crown's appeal, I could come to terms with the fact it was, in fact, in the best interest of the case.

While my opinion may change as I learn new legal points as the days pass, I will say my opinion that the victim's families were disrespected will not be changed.

The families were left to figure this out all on their own, which in my view, is disgraceful. If I need a lawyer Cole's Notes to understand all this legal hoo-ha, why weren't the families afforded the same thing?

My humble opinion about the defence's appeal is this: apparently the jury should not have heard the confession tape. I am not sure why they think it was inappropriate, but it's something that I will try to figure out.

As for the Judge not instructing the jury properly in his initial instruction, I have to say, my God, he tried being as thorough as he could. I know - I sat through his three-plus days of instruction to the jury.

The problem, according to the defence, is the part where Justice Williams said that even if the jury felt he did not act alone or even if they thought Pickton acted in concert with someone else, they could convict Pickton.

This one rubs me the wrong way.