Bail hearings for a trio charged in the murder of a Hay River man were adjourned at the request of the defence Monday morning.
James George Thomas, 25, Levi Cayen, 20 and Sasha Cayen, 25 made their first court appearances before Judge Bernadette E. Schmaltz in Territorial Court. With all three defendants lacking legal representation, attorney Tracy Bock, a legal aid staffer, represented, for the time being, both Levi Cayen and Thomas.
Citing the absence of representation and the need to obtain disclosed information from the Crown, Bock requested the hearing be adjourned until mid-February, giving legal aid the time to assign lawyers and gather documents.
Bock said information, including the names of witnesses, are needed in order to form the basis of defence going forward. The time granted, Bock said, will also give him the chance to bring his clients up to speed on the legal process.
Attorney Charles Davison, who is tentatively representing Sasha Cayen, made the same request.
Both requests were backed by the Crown prosecutor, Alex Godfrey.
As a result, Levi Cayen and Thomas will be back in court on Feb. 13, while Sasha Cayen is set to appear via video on Feb.20.
The accused were arrested last week after Hay River RCMP discovered the body of Alexander Norwegian inside a vehicle near the Katl’odeeche Hay River Reserve on Dec. 28.
The three defendants have been charged with one count each of murder and robbery in connection with Norwegian's death.
The accused are barred from contacting one another, except through a lawyer for the purpose of their defence.