Cases of N.W.T. man accused of murder and robbery delayed
Devon Larabie asked to be allowed to finalize arrangements for a new lawyer
The cases of a Yellowknife man facing robbery and murder charges are dragging through the courts as a result of changing lawyers and delays due to COVID-19.
Devon Larabie made a brief appearance in territorial court on Wednesday via video from the North Slave Correctional Centre to deal with charges stemming from a March 17, 2020 knifepoint robbery of a convenience store on Forrest Drive in Yellowknife.
A little less than two months after being charged with robbery and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose in connection with that incident, Larabie was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a 22-year-old woman in Yellowknife while he was out on bail.
In court on Wednesday, the 28-year-old was supposed to confirm that he will be ready to go ahead with his preliminary inquiry on the robbery charges in September. Instead, he asked for his case to be adjourned for a month to allow him to finalize arrangements for a new lawyer, Scott Cowan.
Crown prosecutor Gary Magee balked at the request, saying that long a delay will leave little more than a month until Larabie's Sept. 22 preliminary inquiry without the court knowing if he will have a lawyer for it.
Magee also noted that the Crown has stayed charges against a co-accused in the robbery, Maiya Klengenberg.
No new date set for murder inquiry
The judge agreed to adjourn the case for three weeks, and urged Larabie to ensure that arrangements for Cowan, an Ontario lawyer, are finalized before then.
Magee agreed to also contact Cowan to see if he is still licensed to practice law in the N.W.T. and is able to represent Larabie during his preliminary inquiry.
Larabie's preliminary inquiry on the murder charge was scheduled to take place between June 22 and 25. Two weeks before it could get started, Larabie fired his lawyer, and it was cancelled. No new date has been set yet.
Though he has not been ordered to stand trial yet, Larabie's case is part of a backlog of approximately 85 cases awaiting dates for jury trials.
In December, two people pleaded guilty to being accessories after the fact to the murder Larabie is accused of.
Jordan Nande and Lisa Brule were each sentenced to 10 months in jail. The prosecutor called for a publication ban on the facts they admitted during their sentencing. CBC opposed the ban, and the judge agreed it was not necessary.