BELLEVILLE, Ont. - There appeared to be some movement Thursday in the case of a former Canadian Forces commander facing murder and sexual assault charges.
After months of brief video appearances by Col. Russell Williams, during which a date for another brief video appearance would be made, a date for a pre-trial hearing was set Thursday.
Williams appeared via videolink Thursday from a detention centre and stated his full name -- David Russell Williams -- for the record. He was ordered to appear again via video on Aug. 26 at 1:15 p.m. for a pre-trial hearing.
Crown attorney Lee Burgess would not elaborate outside court on what that hearing will entail, but in general such hearings are held so that a judge can weigh the evidence against the accused and decide whether a trial is warranted.
Williams is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of two women, sex assaults against other women, and 82 other charges related to break and enter. The list of his charges took up about one-third of the entire courtroom docket.
Williams was a rising star in the military before being charged with murder in the deaths of Jessica Lloyd, 27, and Cpl. Marie-France Comeau, 37. Lloyd's brother attended the hearing Thursday and said he intends to be back for future dates.
"I think it's something I personally, for myself, have to do," Andy Lloyd, 30, said outside court.
Jessica Lloyd's body was found in Tweed, Ont., on Feb. 8, two weeks after she failed to show up at her job in nearby Napanee.
When asked if he will get closure by seeing the court case through her brother replied, "What's closure, really?"
"Hopefully everything works out for the best as far as the justice system, but I don't know really if that's going to be closure or not," he said.
Comeau was found dead in her home in Brighton, Ont., last November. She was a flight attendant at CFB Trenton and served aboard the same military VIP flights Williams piloted for much of the 1990s, ferrying the Governor General, the prime minister and other dignitaries on domestic and overseas trips.
In addition, Williams and his wife, Mary-Elizabeth Harriman, are facing a $2.45-million lawsuit filed by one of Williams' alleged sex assault victims, identified only as Jane Doe. The 21-year-old woman claims the "horrific and reprehensible" alleged sexual attack has left her fearful and suicidal.
Harriman, who has not spoken publicly since the charges were laid against her husband, says in an affidavit filed with her statement of defence that she is devastated.
The criminal charges have not yet been tested in court nor have the civil allegations.
Williams has not yet filed a statement of defence.
