Court orders new trial for Jamie Bacon in Surrey Six murder case

Heavily armed police arrest Jamie Bacon outside his Abbotsford, B.C., home early morning on Friday, April 3, 2009 (CTV Vancouver)

Vancouver — A new trial has been ordered for Jamie Bacon to face murder and conspiracy charges in connection with the infamous Surrey Six slayings.

Counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder were stayed against Bacon back in December 2017, but much of the evidence and reasons were sealed by the courts.

Prosecutors appealed the decision, and on Thursday, the B.C. Court of Appeal sided with the Crown and ordered another trial.

"The appeal is allowed and the charges are remitted to the trial court for trial," reads an unsigned statement that was posted online.

Once again, the reasons were sealed. The appeals court cited "issues of various privileges and confidential information" that prevented it from releasing the full decision, but promised an abbreviated version would be coming at some point.

"The division is presently consulting with counsel to canvass the text of the abbreviated reasons so as to allow for public release of reasons for judgment that comply with the requirements of confidentiality," the statement said.

Bacon, who was identified in previous trials as former leader of the Red Scorpion gang, was accused in the murder of 21-year-old Corey Lal, one of six people killed in a high-rise apartment in Surrey back in October 2007.

With files from The Canadian Press