A second-degree murder case has hit a snag as one of the accused looks to find a new lawyer before the preliminary hearing begins.
Lawyers for Sheldon Wabason, Nicholas Webber, and Christopher Hawk appeared at the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay Monday. Police charged Wabason, Webber, Hawk and Cody Thompson in March with second-degree murder in connection to the death of 54-year-old Robert Topping.
Thompson died in August while in custody at the Thunder Bay District Jail.
Wabason requested to find a new lawyer before the start of the preliminary hearing on Jan. 9.
He told the court he had a lawyer in mind but he wouldn’t be able to attend the scheduled preliminary hearing.
The judge adjourned the case until Nov. 14, at which time the judge would make a decision.
Thunder Bay Police Service officers responded on March 19 to an alleged break-and-enter and assault at a Minnesota Street home.
Paramedics rushed Topping to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre where he later died.
Police arrested Wabason and Webber a few hours after the incident and took Thomspon and Hawk into custody a day later.
Police charged all four men with first-degree murder, but later changed those charges to second-degree murder.
