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The trial for Justin Bone, the man accused of killing two men in Edmonton’s Chinatown in 2022, got back on track Tuesday after he retracted his decision to fire his defence lawyer.
On Monday, Bone told court he was dismissing his lawyer, David Wolsey, citing inadequate cross-examination. The announcement disrupted the proceedings and ended with Bone being removed from the courthouse.
It was the latest in a pattern of similar delays in the trial, which has already seen Bone cycle through multiple lawyers.
Bone is charged with second-degree murder in the deaths of 61-year-old Ban Phuc Hoang and 64-year-old Hung Trang, who were killed in Edmonton’s Chinatown in 2022. He has pleaded not guilty.
Wolsey told the court he had spoken with Bone earlier Tuesday and said their differences had been resolved. His client appeared to be calm during the conversation, he added.
Crown prosecutor Anders Quist raised concerns about Monday’s incident, noting Bone became verbally aggressive in the courthouse holding cells and disrupted proceedings in a neighbouring courtroom.
Prosecutors suggested Bone participate in the trial via CCTV but Justice Paul Belzil said it was preferable for the accused to be physically present in the courtroom.
The judge warned that any further disruptions would lead to an adjournment and alternative arrangements.
Bone then re-entered the courtroom wearing an orange jumpsuit, a change from his usual casual clothes.
In an address to the court, he took issue with media reports from Monday, in particular a sheriff’s statement that Bone had threatened to fight.
“I stated, ‘They can drag me back.’ That’s not me threatening them,” Bone said. “I just said I’m not coming back due to the fact I was angry, I was upset, I felt unfair.”
Bone had been escorted out of the courthouse following the disruption.
“I just wanted to state respectfully to the courts, and all the people in the courts, what happened to me yesterday being removed unjustly,” he said. “I’m supposed to have a right to a fair trial and I felt it was unfair to me being removed after the break.”
He said he believes the incident affected how he is perceived by the public.
“It hurts having my character and my person always being seen as a very negative person, which is not true,” Bone said. “We’re good with my lawyer now, we spoke and everything.”
Following Monday’s disruption, Trang’s daughter Christina Trang, expressed disappointment about the delays.
“We want to make sure that the victims — my father and Mr. Hoang — get their dignity, the accountability for what has happened …. They sacrificed their [lives] and should get the justice they deserve.”
The trial is scheduled to continue until Feb. 20.
