Crown dragging heels on spending-scandal proof: lawyer

The lawyer representing the bureaucrat at the centre of Newfoundland and Labrador's legislative spending scandal says the Crown is being far too slow with turning over evidence.

"We are very, very frustrated," said Averill Baker, a St. John's lawyer who is defending Bill Murray.

Murrayfaces six charges that include fraud, fraud on the government and breach of trust.

Hewas suspended in June 2006 as the director of financial operations at the house of assembly, after Auditor General John Noseworthy began releasing reports on spending at the legislature.

Those reports prompted not only police investigations and criminal charges, but an overhaul of how the legislature is managed.

Murray, who took sick leave shortly before his suspension, was charged in August and made his first court appearance in October.

Baker said it is unacceptable that she has not yet received from the Crown all of the evidence involving Murray.

Baker said she will apply to the courts to have the charges against her client thrown out if his rights to a timely trial are not respected.

"We are starting to feel that that right is being infringed upon," Baker said.

"So, there may at some point in the future be an application to the court if we don't get disclosure fast."

The case of Murray, who has not yet entered a plea, was called again on Friday in provincial court in St. John's.

Crown prosecutor Frances Knickle said there is huge amount of evidence involved in the case, including 35 boxes of exhibits and documentation of about 7,000 pages.

Police have also obtained more than 60 search warrants.

Knickle said the RNC investigation is not yet complete, and some of the warrants have not yet been executed.

Murray 'has aged' because of charges: lawyer

Baker said the whole affair is taking a heavy toll on Murray.

"He's under an extreme amount of stress," she said.

"I can tell you that physically he has aged since having to deal with these charges."

Murray's case will return to provincial court in January.

Four former politicians have also been charged in the legislative spending scandal: former Tory cabinet minister Ed Byrne, former Liberal representatives Wally Andersen and Jim Walsh, and New Democrat Randy Collins.

Among other things, Noseworthy found that five politicians - including former Liberal MHA Percy Barrett, who has not been charged in the matter - received about $1.6 million more than their entitlements in constituency allowances.

Noseworthy also found that the legislature paid about $2.6 million to a handful of companies, including one controlled by Murray, for such goods as trinkets, lapel pins and fridge magnets.