Burns Lake resident Albert Giesbrecht is being tried in the Supreme Court in Smithers and faces a first-degree murder charge. (Lakes District News file photo)

Burns Lake resident Albert Giesbrecht is being tried in the Supreme Court in Smithers and faces a first-degree murder charge. (Lakes District News file photo)

Giesbrecht murder trial due to end in March

The trial of Burns Lake resident Albert Giesbrecht has taken a break and will resume near the end of March.

  • Feb. 26, 2019 12:00 a.m.

The trial of Burns Lake resident Albert Giesbrecht has taken a break and will resume near the end of March.

Giesbrecht, 67, faces a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of Raymond George Bishop, who was found dead on May 18, 2017 south of Francois Lake.

The second part of his trial began on Feb. 4 in Smithers but did not end as scheduled on Feb. 22.

“The evidence portion of the trial has been concluded. The adjournment was to allow for the preparation of final submissions,” which will be heard on March 25, Dan McLaughlin, communications counsel with the BC Prosecution Service told Lakes District News.

The suspect pleaded not guilty when his trial began in the Smithers Supreme Court on Jan. 14, which ran until Jan. 25 and then took a break until February.

READ MORE: Giesbrecht pleads not guilty in judge-only murder trial

The case is being tried by a Supreme Court Judge alone.

Giesbrecht was released from detention on bail in November 2017, prompting about two dozen local residents to hold a protest, before he was re-arrested the next month.

LOOK BACK: Albert Giesbrecht’s bail hearing set for February


Blair McBride
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