Latest news with #CoreyAgnew
CBC
31-07-2025
- CBC
New lawyer, jury trial to come for accused in Chipman double-murder case
One of two men accused of murder after two bodies were found in a burning vehicle near Chipman has acquired a new lawyer and waived a preliminary hearing. Corey Agnew is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Robert Waugh, 47, and Victoria King, 23. Their bodies were found on Nov. 25 in a vehicle in the Grand Lake community about 60 kilometres northeast of Fredericton. His new lawyer, T.J. Burke, told provincial court Judge Mélanie Poirier LeBlanc on Thursday that a preliminary hearing was not necessary and requested going right to jury trial. The Crown agreed. Agnew, from the Minto area of Grand Lake, was previously represented by lawyer Nathan Gorham. But last month, a Crown prosecutor told court he believed Gorham's firm was in a conflict of interest representing Agnew. The Crown did not say exactly why. Agnew, who was 35 when charged in January, appeared in court remotely from custody on Thursday, and Burke told the judge that Gorham had asked to be removed from the file. Poirier LeBlanc said the case now goes to the Court of King's Bench, and no next date has been assigned yet. On Jan. 20, RCMP announced Mark Elley had been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, and two days later, Agnew was charged.
CBC
02-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Prosecutor asks to have law firm removed from double-murder case
A New Brunswick Crown prosecutor has asked that a criminal defence firm be recused from representing a man co-accused of murdering two people whose bodies were found in Chipman, N.B., last fall. Crown prosecutor Robert Johnston told a judge Monday that Nathan Gorham and others in his firm are in a conflict of interest in representing Corey Agnew, who was charged in January with two counts of first-degree murder. Johnston did not say what the exact source of the alleged conflict is when addressing provincial court Judge Natalie LeBlanc, but added that the recusal order should also apply to all other lawyers working for Gorham Vandebeek LLP. "[In] my discussions with Mr. Gorham on Friday ... he was in complete agreement that he is in a conflict of interest, that he will not be continuing," said Johnston. "But the focus of your decisions should be on whether or not other members of his firm may continue." The bodies of Robert Waugh, 47, and Victoria King, 23, were found on Nov. 25 inside a burning vehicle in Chipman, about 60 kilometres northeast of Fredericton. On Jan. 20, RCMP announced Mark Elley had been charged with first-degree murder, and two days later, Agnew was charged. Law firm should be allowed to stay on, says lawyer Lawyers for both sides were supposed to make arguments on the issue Monday, but the matter was adjourned because of Gorham's inability to attend the proceeding. In his place, Alexandra Youssef, an associate at his firm, appeared in court and said issues being dealt with in other cases prevented her firm from adequately preparing for Monday's appearance. However, she offered a brief summary of her argument that the firm should be allowed to continue representing Agnew. "Our position is that if Mr. Waugh's character was required to be impugned in any way, then our office would step off the file," Youssef said. "But if this is a defence, if this is a case where the defence does not require any impugning of Mr. Waugh's character then our position is that it is appropriate for our firm to represent Mr. Agnew." LeBlanc tasked Youssef with having her firm submit written arguments by June 13, giving the Crown a chance to reply in writing by June 16.
