One of the two lawyers who have been representing Robert Steven Wright since his arrest in December 2018 said he declared a conflict in the case and has been replaced as counsel.
Sudbury lawyer Berk Keaney, of Sudbury law firm Weaver Simmons, said in an email to Sudbury.com that he has declared a conflict “and all parties agreed that it would be proper for me to step aside as lead counsel,” he said.
It is unclear whether Michael Venturi, also of Weaver Simmons, will remain as counsel for Wright, charged with second-degree murder in the 1998 killing of Renee Sweeney in Sudbury.
On Tuesday, court heard that Toronto-based lawyer Michael Lacy, of Brauti Thorning Zibarras, will take over as lead counsel in Wright’s murder trial.
Lacy is more recently known for having child pornography charges against a local physician dropped. He is also representing former Sudbury reporter Callam Senyk-O’Flanagan, who also faces charges of child pornography.
In 2017, Lacy had charges stayed against Gerry Lougheed Jr., who was charged with fraud during the 2015 provincial byelection in the Sudbury riding.
The matter returns to court Nov. 2 to set new dates.
Wright was 18 years old at the time of Sweeney's murder and was a resident of Sudbury and a student at Lockerby Composite School. At the time of his arrest, he was working at the North Bay Regional Hospital.
