Richard Bain to defend himself on trial

Richard Bain as seen in a courtroom sketch.

MONTREAL - Richard Henry Bain, the alleged perpetrator of the attack that left a man dead at Montreal’s Metropolis theatre on the night of the Sept. 4 provincial election, will stand in his own defence at his trial.

At the Montreal courthouse Wednesday, Judge Jean-Paul Braun accepted defence attorney Elfride Duclervil’s request to no longer represent the 62-year-old man.

The accused intends to represent himself, but added that he would like legal support for his efforts.

At one point, he waved a Bible and said he had the best lawyer available in God and Jesus Christ.

Braun, however, granted Bain two weeks to think about whather representing himself is a wise decision.

The prosecution said it is ready to go forward either way, and can't specualte about the possibility of facing Bain in his own defence.

“The next court date, we’ll see what will happen, if there will be a new lawyer in the files. We'll be ready at that moment to face the situation,” said prosecutor Jean-Pascal Boucher. “If he wants to represent himself, we will face the situation.”

Bain’s preliminary hearing is set for March 12.

At no time during Bain's court appearance Wednesday did the fishing-lodge owner mention or allude to the charges against him or the events on the evening of Sept. 4.

He was, however, taken behind a glass enclosure, much to his dismay. The outspoken man raised his voice, wanting to know why he was being kept behind glass, and was angry about not being able to receive documents in English.

A patient Judge Braun asked Bain to calm down, getting the suspect the required documents.

Bain faces 16 charges, including premeditated murder and attempted murder, for the attack that occurred when the newly elected Quebec Premier Pauline Marois delivered her victory address.

Denis Blanchette was killed in the attack while his colleague Dave Courage was seriously injured. Marois has said she believes she was the target of a political assassination attempt.

Bain told the court last month he makes $36,000 a year and can't afford a lawyer.

With a report from CTV Montreal.