Convicted murderer won't get more legal aid: court
Last Updated: Wednesday, February 17, 2010 | 3:00 PM ET
The Canadian Press
Ontario's top court has denied a convicted murderer who ran up a $1.2 million legal aid bill more taxpayer funding for an appeal.
Richard Wills was convicted in 2002 of the first-degree murder of his mistress Linda Mariani.
Wills, a former Toronto police officer and one-time self-described millionaire, systematically divested himself of his assets and then applied for legal aid.
He made an application to Ontario's Appeal Court for funding to provide legal assistance with his appeal, but the court dismissed it.
In a judgment released Wednesday, the court writes that Wills is a "well-educated man" with long experience in the justice system and is capable of presenting his appeal without a lawyer.
The court also writes that although Wills has raised 35 possible grounds of appeal, "the court should have little difficulty understanding and resolving the various issues."
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