The murder trial of a former Prescott town councillor and nurse accused of killing her husband will be moved from Brockville to an Ottawa courtroom.
Nancy Lane, 55, is charged with first-degree murder in the 2009 death of her husband, Art Lane, 61. Nancy was a Prescott councillor from 2003 to 2006 and also worked as a nurse.
Art was well-known within the local labour scene, as a veteran of the Ontario Public Service Employees' Union. He had also been a NDP candidate in the 1990 provincial election.
Nancy Lane was arrested at her Athens home in August of 2011.
It is uncommon for a trial to be moved from the area where the crime took place, but Ontario Superior Court Justice Robert Maranger determined there were "exceptional circumstances" in this case that justified transferring the trial to Ottawa.
Among them is that the Lanes are well-known, as are many of the witnesses. That could make jury selection in a small community very difficult, with a higher risk of problems such as a mistrial.
The anticipated five-month duration of the trial -- unprecedented in Brockville -- was also a factor in the decision to move the trial. As many as 100 witnesses are expected to testify.
The trial is slated to begin in February 2015.
danielle.bell@sunmedia.ca
Twitter: @ottawasundbell
Justice Maranger is a not necessarily a favorite judge for the Crown but when it comes to Child Protection he is one of
the Favorite "Rubber Stamps" for the Children's Aid Society of Ottawa.
Ottawa Judiciary is riddled with CAS Rubber Stamps who habitually just "Rubber Stamp" anything the CAS ask for.
The "worst of the Worst" title belongs to a variety of judges including Monique Metievier who even Rubber Stamps orders for custody
in favour of extremely violent mother simply to keep her friends in the CAS happy.
It's enough to make you want to puke.
www.OttawaMensCentre