Court denies bail for accused killer

Former Mountie will remain in jail until his May 27 trial for the murder of his common-law wife

Bail has been denied for the Penticton man accused of murdering his common-law wife.

This was the second attempt Keith Wiens, a former RCMP officer, has made to be released from custody. He was originally released after his arrest for the murder of Lynn Kalmring in August 2011. Justice Peter Rogers determined he was not a flight risk or threat to others and was to reside in his Penticton home, where Kalmring was found dead, under a number of conditions.

In January 2012, Wiens was arrested after police arrived at his house to conduct a check to ensure he was complying with his bail conditions and charged him with a single count of breach of conditions. Wiens applied for bail after being taken into custody but it was denied.

After changing lawyers, Wiens applied again to have his bail reinstated, but on Wednesday at the Kelowna courthouse Justice Rogers denied his application. A publication ban applies to the reasons the justice gave.

Wiens, who is also a former Penticton school bus driver, will face a jury trial on the second-degree murder charge of Kalmring beginning on May 27 in the Kelowna courthouse. He also will have to face a charge of breach of conditions in provincial court. A trial date for that charge is scheduled for July 25 at the Penticton law courts.

 

Penticton Western News