[su_heading size=”21″]The man accused of murdering York student Qian Liu in 2011 is now on trial, but not all the details will be available to the public.[/su_heading]
At the defense’s request on March 17, a publication ban was issued during the pre-trial motions.
When asked why the defense sought a publication ban, Daniel Santoro, a lawyer representing Brian Dickson, the man accused of killing Liu, could not comment.
Although not all details of the case will be public, the publication ban will not be in effect for the whole trial.
The trial is expected to last for four weeks, with jury selection starting on March 21, and testimony and cross-examination of witnesses starting on March 24, says Frank Skubic, detective staff sergeant with the Toronto police.
Dickson and his family were present, staying silent while the motions were read.
The Liu family was not present. However, family friend Charles Burton says they are expected to arrive from China on March 21.
The Village murder trial resumes after nearly a year’s delay due to the defense’s motion to explore new possible defenses, say police.
Qian ‘Necole’ Liu was a Chinese international, studying at York at the time of her death.
She was found dead in her Village basement apartment on April 15, 2011, hours after her boyfriend from Beijing saw a man enter her bedroom via webcam.
Police discovered her body naked from the waist down, but with no obvious sign of trauma or sexual assault.
Photo source RedZone York.
Victoria Alarcon
Assistant News Editor
