N.B. Crown to appeal ruling overturning Dennis Oland’s murder conviction
SAINT JOHN, N.B. — New Brunswick prosecutors say they will ask the Supreme Court of Canada for leave to appeal a court ruling overturning Dennis Oland’s murder conviction — while the defence says it may ask the top court for an outright acquittal.
Oland was convicted in 2015 of the second-degree murder of his multi-millionaire father, but that verdict was overturned by the New Brunswick Court of Appeal in October.
The appeal court ruled the trial judge erred in his instructions to the jury, and ordered a new trial in the bludgeoning death of prominent businessman Richard Oland, whose body was found in his Saint John office in July 2011.
Crown prosecutor Kathryn Gregory said Tuesday they will appeal that ruling. She also asked for the earliest available trial date, saying they could be prepared to go to trial as early as September of this year.