Father fit to stand trial in N.B. baby's death
Last Updated: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 | 11:39 AM AT
CBC News
A Charlotte County man charged in connection with the death of a baby boy in January is fit to stand trial, a New Brunswick provincial court judge determined on Tuesday.
Rodney Stewart Miller, 27, is facing a first-degree murder charge, while the baby's mother, Sarah Marie Russell, 19, has been accused of manslaughter.
The St. Stephen courtroom was told on Tuesday that lawyers are still awaiting results from Russell's psychiatric assessment and they're trying to determine whether she was being affected by postpartum depression at the time of the alleged incident.
Miller and Russell both elected to have a trial by judge alone.
Miller will be back in court on April 14 and Russell will be return for another court date on April 20.
Lawyers waiting for more tests
RCMP have concluded that the baby boy was born between Jan. 5 and Jan. 22, 2009.
Joel Hansen, Miller's lawyer, said they're still waiting on an important piece of information, such as whether the baby was dead or alive at birth, a piece of evidence that will affect how the matter moves ahead.
Both Miller and Russell are also facing charges of disposing of a body in an attempt to conceal the birth of a child.
The Moores Mills couple will remain in custody until their next court appearances.
The two were both charged on Jan. 30 with concealing the body of a newborn.
When they made their first court appearance in February, they were jeered by about a dozen angry spectators who showed up. At that first hearing, the courtroom was packed with onlookers and it was the first time that metal detectors had been used to scan people going in.
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