Lawyer cites ‘highly significant development’ after client charged with murdering woman who had sought court protection

A criminal defence lawyer appeared before a justice Monday to describe a “highly significant development” in a court-ordered protection case—as his client has been charged in the killing of one of the three women who had sought protection against him.

Last month, the Winnipeg Police Service charged Jose Raulino, 74, with second-degree murder in the death of Gladys Bellamy, 80. Bellamy was found at an apartment complex in the 1200 block of St. Anne’s Road on April 21 suffering from fatal injuries.

Just one day earlier, on April 20, Bellamy and two other women had appeared in court to seek peace bonds against Raulino. Court audio from that appearance indicates provincial court judicial justice of the peace Weldon Klassen recommended the applicants explore mediation—but within 30 minutes, the court was told the women wanted to press ahead with the peace bond applications.

• READ MORE: ‘Winnipeg woman killed day after seeking court-ordered protection against alleged killer’

“There’s been a highly significant development since April 20,” Raulino’s lawyer, Bruce Bonney, told court Monday at the scheduled hearing in the peace bond application case. “Which is that Mr. Raulino is charged with second-degree murder of one of the original applicants.”

Bonney told provincial court judicial justice of the peace Gregory Jowett that he believes the murder charge “renders these proceedings unnecessary,” noting his client will remain in custody for the foreseeable future. “I’m not sure how everybody wants to proceed here.”

The two remaining applicants were not present Monday. Though a trial date had previously been set with Klassen for October, court heard the applicants may not have been aware of that development.

“Would you consider consenting to a peace bond, even though those people aren’t here, perhaps for good reason today?” Jowett asked Bonney.

“I don’t have those instructions,” he said.

“My client has some mental health issues right now that have to be sorted out before I could get cogent instructions.”

Jowett said he would ask the court to reach out to the two remaining applicants—describing the situation they’re in as an “unusual circumstance”—to determine whether they want to participate in the next available hearing, set for mid-June.

“Their absence might be explained by reasons that I need to be sensitive to,” he said. “I want the communication to be clear that they’re welcome to contact the court to ask questions about… how they might best attend for the purposes of their applications.”

Bonnie, who confirmed he also represents Raulino on the murder charge, acknowledged the situation has likely been traumatizing for the remaining applicants.

He declined to comment on the case to CTV News.

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