Dennis Oland back in court just one day after he was sentenced for killing his multimillionaire father Richard Oland, seeking to be released pending the outcome of his appeal.
During the bail hearing in a Fredericton court, Oland, 47, sat in the prisoner’s box at the back of the courtroom wearing a brown jacket and a tie. Members of his family were seated to the left of the courtroom while members of the media sat on the right.
One of Oland’s defence laywers Alan Gold telling Justice JC Marc Richard nothing in the evidence warrants the continued detention of Dennis Oland, saying that it’s a convoluted case with serious grounds for appeal. Gold bringing up various points in his submission including noises heard by witness Anthony Shaw, after-the-fact conduct and what he calls the unreasonable verdict.
Gold says any informed and reasonable member of society knowing the circumstances of this case would understand why Oland was released.
Crown prosecutor Kathryn Gregory says the Crown could find 21 cases where convicted murderers were released on bail, and points to these to emphasize that exceptional circumstances have to be found in order for Oland to be released. If Oland were released on bail, the Crown wants $200,000 each from two sureties — his mother Connie Oland uncle Derek Oland, the executive chairman of Moosehead Breweries.
Gregory says the real focus for the Crown is the public interest, which has two aspects: public safety and respect and confidence of public in the justice system. Though, she says they’re not concerned with the public safety aspect.
The bludgeoned body of 69-year-old Richard Oland was discovered on July 7, 2011 in a pool of blood in his investment firm office on Canterbury Street in uptown Saint John. The high-profile businessman died from multiple sharp blunt force injuries to the head. Dennis Oland became a suspect in his father’s death the same day.
Justice Richard will give his decision in the bail hearing for Dennis Oland on Wednesday.
