The suspected killer of Guylaine Potvin will ask that his trial be held at a venue other than the Chicoutimi courthouse.
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Marc-André Grenon was back in court on Wednesday.
His lawyer Me Karine Poliquin believes in an off-camera conversation that it would be difficult to form a neutral and impartial jury in Saguenay. Guylaine Potvin, 19, was sexually assaulted and killed in April 2000 at her home in the Jonquière district of Saguenay.
The victim’s parents, brother and sister physically attended the hearing for the first time since the trial began.
The request for a change of location will be made later in Chicoutimi. The presence of the Potvin family was a way of somewhat preparing the ground for challenging the motion filed by the defense.
“We do not yet have the contents of the application,” warned Director of Law and Law Enforcement Me Pierre-Alexandre Bernard. We take our time for the analysis. Guylaine Potvin’s family have been collaborating with the investigation from the start and it was important for them to attend the proceedings and eventually the trial today.
Marc-André Grenon is recalled to court on June 7th. His trial could take place in September or October. Law enforcement and law enforcement believe the timeline is reasonable, comments echoed by Judge Carl Thibault, who called the timeline “realistic.”
On the other hand, the start of the process could be further postponed. Mr. Poliquin told the court that the defense would make additional submissions that would need to be presented before the trial.
Grenon remained unmoved during his performance. Guylaine Potvin’s family declined to comment.
Pending his return to court in Chicoutimi, he will appear in court in Quebec on April 18 for the attempted murder and sexual assault of another applicant in Sainte-Foy in July 2000 on his other case.