Man accused of murder in Yellowknife will have panel of lawyers to pick from after he fires 3 others

A man accused of murder in the death of a 22-year-old woman in Yellowknife will have his pick from a panel of three lawyers to represent him after he fired three others.

Devon Larabie is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Breanna Menacho in a Yellowknife apartment in May 2020.

Larabie made a brief appearance in Northwest Territories Supreme Court in Yellowknife Friday.

The court began to hear what's called a Rowbotham application. It is a process where the court can appoint him legal representation. The federal government would cover the costs.  

Peter Adourian, a legal aid lawyer who is assisting Larabie in finding a new lawyer, told the court Larabie has met with one lawyer and will meet with two others this week.

Larabie asked Justice John Vertes if he did not pick one of the three lawyers on the panel, would he be able to pick someone else, and would the court be able to pay for that person to become a member of the N.W.T. bar.

Vertes said he was unsure if that was a possibility, and cautioned Larabie that if he does not select a lawyer, he runs the risk of representing himself in the judge-alone trial.

In September, Vertes said should the court appoint a lawyer for Larabie under Rowbotham conditions, the lawyer could come from outside the territory and apply to become a member of the N.W.T. bar.

On Friday, Vertes instructed Adourian and Crown lawyer Blair MacPherson to submit a written memorandum once Larabie has selected a lawyer. Once that happens, dates for a trial will be set.

Larabie remains in custody at the North Slave Correctional Centre. He has not applied for bail. No charges against Larabie have been proven in court.

Accused people who have been found guilty of committing a crime are typically given a day and a half of credit for every day they've spent in pre-trial custody. 

Any sentence they are given if convicted is then reduced by that credit.

A second-degree murder conviction, however, comes with a minimum 25-year life sentence with no parole for 10 years.  

Any time spent in custody from the day a person was arrested on a second-degree murder charge would count toward their sentence.