By Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Second lawyer withdraws in attempted murder case

Oct 9, 2018 | 12:26 PM

LETHBRIDGE – For the second time in just over a month, a 32-year-old Lethbridge man charged with attempted murder has parted ways with a lawyer over a breakdown in the solicitor-client relationship.

An agent appearing for defence lawyer Tonii Roulston addressed the court Tuesday, Oct. 9, explaining the situation and asking that Roulston be allowed to withdraw from Robert Sheppard’s case – a request that was later granted.

It was only on Aug. 30 that virtually the same thing happened when Sheppard’s first lawyer was forced to withdraw. In that case, Roulston was prepared to take over immediately, while in this insistence the court had to adjourn the matter for three weeks to Oct. 30, giving Sheppard time to find new counsel.

Sheppard currently has two separate matters before the court, both of which Roulston had been representing him on.

The most recent involves an alleged incident from earlier this year. Around 9 p.m. on April 15, Lethbridge Police responded to reports of shots being fired at a home along Heritage Blvd. West.

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Four people managed to escape safely, and police cordoned off the area and searched the home. They then shifted their attention to the suspect’s residence in Dalhousie Court West, and he was finally located and arrested by the RCMP near Granum, following a pursuit.

Sheppard was charged with attempted murder, discharging a firearm into a place, resisting arrest, careless use of a firearm, careless storage of a firearm, pointing a firearm, assault, possession of a dangerous weapon, unauthorized possession of a firearm, unauthorized possession in a vehicle, possession of a weapon obtained by the commission of an offence, and carrying a concealed weapon.

The second case dates back to April 29, 2016. While very few details are available at this time, the indictment shows that Sheppard faces charges of sexual assault with a weapon, sexual assault causing bodily harm, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, and two counts of possession of a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence.

That matter is scheduled for trial in September of 2019.

by Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Second lawyer withdraws in attempted murder case

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