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Man who pleaded guilty to killing Ponoka man in 2019 seeks new lawyer

Tyler John Campbell expected to apply to change guilty plea after judge rejected suggested sentence
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Tyler Campbell, 28, pleaded guilty last November to manslaughter for shooting Ponoka’s Jeffery Kraft, 20, on Dec. 15, 2019 on a rural road just outside Lacombe. Kraft’s supporters were outside the Red Deer provincial court on Tuesday. (Photo by Paul Cowley/Advocate staff

A Lacombe man who is expected to apply to withdraw his manslaughter guilty plea in connection with a December 2019 homicide is seeking a new lawyer.

Tyler John Campbell made a brief appearance in Red Deer provincial court on Tuesday and said he was still looking for a new lawyer through Legal Aid.

Campbell, who appeared through a closed-circuit video link with the Red Deer Remand Centre, said he had applied to Legal Aid two weeks ago but had not been assigned a lawyer yet.

Campbell, 28, pleaded guilty last November to manslaughter for shooting Ponoka’s Jeffery Kraft, 20, on Dec. 15, 2019 on a rural road just outside Lacombe.

However, earlier this year Red Deer provincial court Judge Jim Hunter twice rejected a seven-year sentence joint submission from the Crown prosecutor and defence.

Campbell has the right to apply to Hunter to change his plea from guilty to not guilty. If the judge agrees, a new trial could be set for Campbell, who remains in custody.

Michael Scrase, who represented Campbell, asked the judge to remove him as his lawyer on Tuesday given the turn of events.

“You’re off the record given the application Mr. Campbell is going to be bringing,” said Hunter.

Campbell is due back in court on April 19 to confirm that he has a lawyer.



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