Trial rescheduled in fatal Lincoln shooting
Judge and defence counsel for Joshua Christopher Raines, 48, clash in court over new fall dates for jury trial; lawyer calls for judge to be recused from case and pledges to file appeal
A lawyer representing a second-degree murder suspect clashed with the judge presiding over the case over a decision to reschedule the jury trial to this fall, arguing it would cause issues for clients.
Joshua Christopher Raines, 48, of Route 565 in Holmesville, between Perth-Andover and Florenceville-Bristol, appeared in person and in custody at the Burton Courthouse on Monday for the Court of King’s Bench motions day.
His jury trial on a charge of second-degree murder in the March 12, 2023, shooting death of Lucas Richard Solomon Polchies had been scheduled to begin in two weeks’ time March 17, but new developments put it back on motions day to set new trial dates.
Crown prosecutor Wesley MacIntosh said his office had just received notice from the defence that it was bringing two new pre-trial applications, and that those matters would take several weeks to hash out in court for the trial.