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Jury selection continues for fitness hearing in Fredericton murder case

Oct 1, 2019 | 8:05 AM

FREDERICTON — Jury selection continues today in the hearing to determine if a Fredericton man is fit to stand trial on four counts of first-degree murder.

Matthew Raymond is accused of killing Fredericton police constables Sara Burns and Robb Costello and civilians Donnie Robichaud and Bobbie Lee Wright outside a Fredericton apartment complex in August 2018.

Fitness means that an accused understands the charges against them and can instruct a lawyer on how they wish to be defended.

About 800 people were registered Monday at a Fredericton hockey rink, and today the first 100 will be questioned at the courthouse in an effort to get a jury of 12 people and two alternates.

The large number of potential jurors was necessary because the murders were so highly publicized.

Raymond is alleged to have fired from his apartment window with a long gun, killing the two civilians as they loaded a car for a trip and the two police officers as they responded to the scene.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2019.

The Canadian Press