No more trial delays, judge warns man accused of Dartmouth murder
More than seven years after Donald Chad Smith was gunned down in north-end Dartmouth, the man accused of killing him will finally be tried for first-degree murder next year following repeated delays in the case.
During an appearance in Nova Scotia Supreme Court Thursday morning, a judge made it clear to Randy Desmond Riley that his trial would go ahead next March, whether he has a lawyer or not.
"We're going ahead that day, whether he has counsel or not," Justice Timothy Gabriel said.
For now, Riley is represented by Halifax defence lawyer Trevor McGuigan. But four times in the past, Riley has parted company with lawyers, forcing a postponement of his trial. In the most recent delay, Riley was scheduled to go on trial last month until lawyer Brian Church said he would no longer represent him.
When Crown prosecutor Melanie Perry noted Thursday the four previous adjournments, Gabriel responded: "There won't be another one."
Smith was delivering pizza to an apartment building on Joseph Young Street on Oct. 23, 2010, when he was killed by a single gunshot. Police said at the time that the pizza order was placed from a pay phone near the scene of the crime.
Riley was arrested in 2013. He's been in custody ever since, having twice been denied bail.
Smith was from Windsor Junction. He left behind two daughters.
