VANCOUVER — The two men accused in the Surrey Six murder trial have elected not to call any witnesses or evidence in their defence.
The Monday decisions by Cody Rae Haevischer and Matthew Johnston effectively brings to a close a trial that opened in September last year and heard from dozens of Crown witnesses.
During a brief appearance by the accused in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, court heard that final submissions by the Crown and defence will begin July 2 and run for several weeks.
Following final submissions, the trial judge, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Catherine Wedge, will retire to her chambers to consider her verdict.
Brock Martland, a lawyer for Johnston, told the judge that he had filed a notice of application for a judicial stay of proceedings but that the anticipated plan is to look at arguing the application after the court has reached the verdicts.
Simon Buck, Haevischer’s lawyer, said he had filed a similar application.
Haevischer and Johnston pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder in connection with the October 2007 murders of six men, B.C.’s worst ever gangland slaying.