N.S. murderer’s cryptocurrency stash rules out free legal aid for appeal

A judge has ruled that a stash of cryptocurrency belonging to a convicted Nova Scotia murderer intends he won’t beryllium receiving free ineligible assistance for an appeal.

Justice Cindy Bourgeois said successful a determination released Wednesday that William Sandeson — a erstwhile aesculapian student who killed different student during a 2015 supplier woody — had astir $640,000 successful bitcoin and rate erstwhile he was jailed.

Last year, Sandeson appealed his condemnation of second-degree execution successful nan decease of Taylor Samson but was refused backing for a lawyer by nan province’s ineligible assistance agency.

In her determination denying his entreaty of that refusal, nan Court of Appeal judge accepted that Sandeson has expenses to salary — including a suit declare from nan victim’s family — but concluded “a important balance” would stay disposable to him.

Bourgeois wrote that Sandeson didn’t beryllium his debts would extremity him from obtaining counsel, aliases that he has exhausted each different sources of financial assistance.

Her determination noted that Sandeson had bitcoin worthy “at slightest $443,624,” and different $198,000 successful rate astatine nan clip he was jailed.

The tribunal recovered that immoderate of those costs would spell toward “any ordered payment” to Samson’s family arsenic a consequence of a civilian suit they’ve launched against Sandeson, arsenic good arsenic to his lawyers successful that case.

However, nan judge noted that Sandeson has testified “he will beryllium near pinch assets of betwixt $200,000 and $300,000 for his ain use.”

Sandeson had based on earlier nan tribunal that he faced different debts, including superior gains taxation that will go payable upon liquidation of nan cryptocurrency; ineligible fees still owing for his first trial; a student statement of in installments and student loans; and $177,000 owed to his mother for earlier ineligible expenses.

The judge recovered location wasn’t documented grounds of what nan taxation measure would be, and Sandeson lacked archiving to beryllium his student debt.

She besides wrote location was a deficiency of clarity connected really overmuch Sandeson owed his mother, saying grounds showing nan mother’s statement of in installments wasn’t sufficient.

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“Although I judge nan appellant has immoderate outstanding debts, location is thing earlier maine that establishes he is obligated to instantly salary retired nan entirety of nan outstanding balances,” wrote Bourgeois.

The judge besides said Sandeson provided nary estimate from ineligible counsel of nan costs of advancing his appeal.

Because of clip served while awaiting trial, Sandeson’s 15-year condemnation for sidesplitting Samson and past disposing of his assemblage would make him eligible for parole successful 2030.

Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Jamie Chipman ruled past twelvemonth that Sandeson should walk astatine slightest 15 years successful situation for firing a azygous slug into nan caput of nan 22-year-old physics student. Both men attended Dalhousie University successful Halifax.

Chipman said successful his determination that Sandeson “made a reprehensible and incomprehensible choice,” and arsenic a result, alternatively of entering aesculapian school, Sandeson went to jailhouse successful nan summertime of 2015.

Last year’s proceedings was nan 2nd clip Sandeson was tried for nan crime. He was convicted of first-degree execution successful 2017, but nan verdict was overturned connected entreaty and a caller proceedings was ordered successful 2020.

The Crown based on during nan proceedings that Sandeson was motivated by greed to termination Samson and bargain nan 9 kilograms of marijuana he had brought to Sandeson’s downtown flat to sell.