By Dominic Abassi

New date set for long-delayed peace bond hearing against former Nanaimo CAO Samra

Nov 20, 2018 | 12:22 PM

Nanaimo’s embattled former chief administrative officer has a new hearing date scheduled in the drawn out legal proceedings over a peace bond application against her.

Tracy Samra is now scheduled for a three-day hearing beginning on March 27, 2019 in provincial court in Nanaimo. The date was set during a brief session on Nov. 20.

If the hearing goes ahead in March, it will take place over a year after Samra was initially arrested for allegedly threatening several people at City Hall on Jan. 31. The Crown applied for a peace bond, citing nine people had reasonable grounds to fear personal harm or injury by Samra. Those included former mayor Bill McKay, coun. Sheryl Armstrong, former coun. Diane Brennan, as well as several former and current City of Nanaimo staff.

Special prosecutor Michael Klein, appointed to oversee the case, approved the peace bond application in March of this year.

A hearing was initially scheduled for Oct. 5, however the appearance was adjourned after Samra changed lawyers, hiring high profile Vancouver defence lawyer Glen Orris roughly two weeks before the long-scheduled court date.

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Court appearances for Samra were adjourned four times before the previous October hearing date was finally set in June.

Orris, meanwhile, has a long history of representing clients in headline-grabbing cases.

He was part of the legal team which defended infamous B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton. He also defended Karl Lilgert, who was convicted of criminal negligence causing death for his role as the captain of the Queen of the North ferry which sank off the B.C. coast in 2006.

Samra was fired with cause by the City of Nanaimo in May.

dom@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @domabassi