Crown tried to keep murder testimony secret
Federal attorney general had sought to exclude public, media from courtroom for key witness’s evidence in jury trial for Joshua John McIsaac, 35, and Erica Lea Ann Blyth, 42
Editor’s note: The reporter covering this court proceeding became involved by objecting to an exclusion application. As such, this article cites statements made in court by the journalist who wrote this report.
The federal Crown applied to have a witness testify in secret in a trial about a 2022 murder in Chipman, but it abandoned that request after negotiations with the defence Wednesday.
Joshua John McIsaac, 35, formerly of Penniac, and Erica Lea Ann Blyth, 42, of Newcastle Creek near Chipman, were brought to the Burton Courthouse in custody Wednesday for a pre-trial application ahead of their jury trial on a charge of first-degree murder.
They’re jointly accused of killing Brandon Patrick Donelan, 27, in the Chipman area, on Jan. 28, 2022, and their trial is scheduled to begin April 23.
The Attorney General of Canada, on behalf of the RCMP, filed an application with the Court of King’s Bench in Fredericton on March 11 seeking an exclusion order under Section 486 of the Criminal Code of Canada with regard to a specific witness.