Rohinie Bisesar, woman accused of Shoppers Drug Mart killing, refuses legal aid lawyers
Adrian Cheung | CBC News | Posted: March 24, 2017 7:33 PM | Last Updated: March 24, 2017
Accused had fired 2 defence lawyers on her case, demanded to have Legal Aid lawyers as 'advisers'
Rohinie Bisesar, the 41-year-old accused of stabbing a woman to death inside a Shoppers Drug Mart in downtown Toronto's PATH system in 2015, has refused representation from legal aid lawyers.
In a court appearance on Friday, Bisesar said the legal aid lawyers she had met with in the past month "don't have the experience to cover these issues."
Bisesar faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of Rosemarie Junor, 28.
Junor was stabbed in the pharmacy at Bay and Wellington Streets Dec.11, 2015 and died days later in hospital.
Police said the two women did not know each other.
Bisesar had previously fired two defence lawyers, David Connally and Calvin Barry, and asked for a council of three to four lawyers to "advise" her leading up to the trial.
Justice John McMahon turned down this request and urged her to pick a lawyer provided by the court.
During Wednesday's proceedings, Bisesar was led into the courtroom in handcuffs, and spoke aloud several times, reiterating her belief in her innocence.
Bisesar had been ruled fit to stand trial starting Jan.8, 2018.
She will remain in custody at the Vanier Centre for Women in Milton, Ont.