Calgary Murder Trial Split to Avoid Delays

0:00Crown prosecutors in Calgary are pushing to split a first-degree murder trial involving three suspects from a fourth after that guy's lawyer dropped out over a witness conflict. The four are accused in the 2023 killing of Tara Miller whose body turned up by a whirl highway south of the city. This move aims to block any claims that the case is dragging too long under trial the lay rules. Earlier this week, the lawyer for Greg Schuster pulled the plug on Tuesday, leaving his clients scrambling for new counsel. Just floated, having the other three, Shiana Papelstone, Jared Burke, and Gherprey Gil waved their delay rights if the trial got pushed back. But their lawyers flat out refused, saying it's a core right they won't ditch. The suspects got nabbed back in January 2024, so the clock's ticking toward a July deadline where charges could get tossed for taking too long. Defense teams stressed they're not weaponizing the rule, just protecting their clients' constitutional shot at a speedy trial. Meanwhile, the victim suffered brutal head trauma, strangulation, and a forced fentanyl

1:02overdose per the autopsy. The judge sees right through potential stalling tactics, calling it a game he won't ignore, since delays could hand the accused a free pass. With no waivers on the table, prosecutors now have to formally ask to sever Schuster's case from the trio's indictment. Hearings on splitting the trials kick off next Wednesday, keeping the murder charges alive without tripping over delay pitfalls. Stay tuned as this unfold. That's your update from Calgary News today, powered by AI.