A Supreme Court judge will allow the Crown to introduce key evidence at the second murder trial for Craig Pope.
It was six years ago this month that 36-year-old David John Collins was stabbed to death in the west end of St. John’s.
It happened on Alderberry Lane on a hot, sunny Thursday afternoon September 7, 2017.
Witnesses testified they saw Craig Pope and Collins fighting in the street—apparently over $60—but no one could say they saw the actual stabbing.
Nonetheless, the jury found Pope guilty and he was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 12 year.
But that was appealed based on the judge’s instructions to the jury on the difference between manslaughter and murder.
The Appeal Court over turned the conviction and ordered a new trial.
The Crown appealed that to the Supreme Court of Canada, which also ruled in favour of a second trial.
That’s now set to start on November 14th, with key Crown evidence to be admitted after a ruling in Supreme Court this morning.
Pope was in court for today’s hearing and remains free on conditions pending the outcome of his new trial.