A man convicted of first-degree murder in a killing that happened nearly 12 years ago is trying to get the case against him thrown out.

Steven Gerald Gareau is appearing before a three-member panel of the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal to argue his case on Wednesday.

Gareau, who was also convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, was one of two men convicted of murder in the October 2000 killing of Sean Simmons.

According to testimony at Gareau's 2004 trial, the killing was ordered by a senior member of the Halifax chapter of the Hells Angels. The Crown relied on evidence from two paid police informants in making the case against Gareau and his co-accused, Dean Kelsie.

Those informants were granted immunity in exchange for their assistance.

While the appeal was filed in 2004, Gareau has had difficulty getting a lawyer — part of the reason the appeal has taken so long to get to court. His case is being argued by Fergus O'Connor of Kingston, Ont.

Two days have been set aside for the appeal.