Accused killer Brandon Phillips pleads not guilty in Captain's Quarters shooting

The man accused of killing a bystander during an attempted armed robbery at the Captain's Quarters in St. John's has pleaded not guilty.

Brandon Phillips entered the plea in Supreme Court on Thursday morning for the October 2015 killing.

• Brandon Phillips will stand trial for 1st-degree murder
• Nova Scotia lawyers to prosecute Brandon Phillips

The 28-year-old is accused of shooting Larry Wellman, a 63-year-old patron inside the hotel bar, while committing an armed robbery and wearing a disguise.

Police say Wellman tried to intervene in the incident.

The shooting and attempted robbery were caught on security camera.

Aweek-long manhunt for the suspect ended whenPhillips was arrested on Oct. 10, 2015, at a residence on Quidi Vidi Road, where he was staying with his girlfriend, Jade Ball.

Lawyers from Nova Scotia were asked prosecute the caseto avoid a conflict of interest, since Ball is the daughter of Premier Dwight Ball.

The court has set aside six weeks for Phillips' jury trial.

It's scheduled to begin nextNovember.