Case moves forward

The man accused of a 2009 murder is still without a lawyer, but that didn’t stop his case from moving forward.

Leif Hobson, 22, was charged with first-degree murder, committing an indignity to human remains, robbery and arson in the July 2009 death of 65-year-old Edgar Marion. The victim’s remains were found burned in a car in the Shuniah Mine Trails off of Hwy 11-17 on July 9, 2009 by two cyclists.

Hobson has had two attorneys, but parted ways with both of them. In April an application was submitted to the court for a Toronto lawyer to represent the accused. However, Legal Aid officials opposed the application because the lawyer was seeking extra compensation for his travel expenses.

Thunder Bay lawyer Chris Watkins represented Hobson Monday at the Superior Court of Justice as a friend of the court.

Crown attorney Dan Mitchell said Watkins shouldn’t represent Hobson because of a conflict of interest because he had represented one of the Crown’s key witnesses in Hobson’s case.

Mitchell said this witness was a critical part of the “heart of the case” and added the nature of the conflict is “profound.”

Watkins said he’ll be contemplating a motion to see if he can represent Hobson.

Despite not having a lawyer, Justice Helen Pierce said the case had to move forward, adding that if Hobson is found not guilty he will have lost three years of his life in police custody awaiting trial.

She set the pre-trial for Oct. 1 with the trial tentatively scheduled for early May.

None of the accusations against the accused have been proven in court.