The Supreme Court of Canada has agreed to let lawyers for serial killer Robert Pickton try to persuade it to expand the grounds of his forthcoming appeal on six murder convictions.
The Court issued no reasons this morning, simply granting Mr. Pickton's legal team the right to make arguments on the technical legal issue.
Mr. Pickton's main conviction appeal - which had already been granted automatically on the basis that there was a dissenting judge on the B.C. Court of Appeal panel that heard his appeal - is scheduled for March.
According to law, the Pickton lawyers were to be restricted to arguing points raised by the dissenting B.C. Court of Appeal judge, which relate to the use of evidence of a possible accomplice in the case. The defence intends to argue at the appeal that Mr. Pickton's trial judge gave inadequate instructions to the jury on the accomplice issue.
Today, the Court said the defence can try to persuade it to allow them to delve more deeply into the accomplice issue next March.
After being convicted of murdering six prostitutes at his 2007 trial, Mr. Pickton was sentenced to life in prison with no parole for at least 25 years.
He was charged with 20 other deaths as well.
