Further delays in the Stephan Dietrich murder trial raised the ire of a judge Friday in a Guelph courtroom.
Dietrich is accused of the first-degree murder of his wife Seble ‘Mimi’ Dietrich.
Mimi Dietrich went missing in July 2014. Her husband was arrested for her murder 11 months later after remains were found buried at the Vancouver Drive home where the couple lived with their two children.
Defence counsel Gregory Leslie has already waived his right to a timely trial for the accused.
But on Friday at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice there were pre-trial motions scheduled to be heard by Justice Gordon Lemon, but that never happened, and Leslie couldn’t attend court for medical reasons.
The turn of events didn’t go over well with the judge.
Bearing the brunt of his displeasure was lawyer Raymond Wong, appearing on behalf of Leslie.
“We have wasted valuable, valuable time and we cannot allow this to happen,” Lemon said to Wong as Dietrich sat quietly in the prisoner’s box.
“Mr. Leslie would have known he was ill a long time ago,” the judge continued. “You need to do better.”
Lemon said court staff was scheduled for a day of hearings and instead will work half an hour and will “lose a full-day’s pay.”
Several would have preferred to be taking advantage of a popular shopping day, he added.
He also spoke of a family court case he was hearing the day before that could have possibly been wrapped up on Friday, but instead he put it over for several weeks because of the Dietrich matter.
“Another trial could have been put in today,” he said sternly to Wong.
“You have wasted time,” Lemon said.
Crown attorney Elizabeth Maguire told the judge that Leslie didn’t respond to her requests for what was expected Friday so she couldn’t have adjourned the proceedings any earlier.
The judge said it was up to all segments of the judicial system to make an effort towards efficiency, including defence lawyers.
Dietrich is scheduled to be back in court on April 16 when pre-trial motions are scheduled to be heard.
