Bosma case going straight to trial

CHCH News has confirmed that the men accused of murdering Tim Bosma will be going straight to trial — meaning there will be no preliminary trial. The preliminary trial was set to begin in early September. So far no date for the full trial has been set.

Ravin Pillay is a member of Dellen Millard’s legal team and he confirmed the move tonight. He called it an extraordinary step — which is allowed under section 577 of the Criminal Code of Canada. He also said his client is aware of the decision.

Dellen Millard and Mark Smitch are the prime suspects in Tim Bosma’s murder. They were both arrested within days of each other last year. Millard is also facing additional charges in the death of his father and former girlfriend Laura Babcock. Both are currently being held in custody and have made several brief court appearances.

Bosma went missing on May 6th of last year. He’d taken two men out for a test drive in the pickup truck he was trying to sell. His disappearance gripped the community — as his wife Sharlene made a heart-wrenching appeal for his safe return two days after he went missing. But less than a week after that appeal — and after days of police combing through a farm and hangar owned by Millard — police broke the news that Tim Bosma had been murdered. His truck was found in a trailer in the driveway of Millard’s mother.

We asked Sharlene Bosma for her reaction to the decision but she didn’t have a comment. We are joined right now by Peter Boushy who is the President of the Hamilton Criminal Lawyers’ Association.