Supreme Court clears way for 3rd trial in killings of N.S. couple in 2000

A Nova Scotia man accused of killing a couple in their Hants County home more than 22 years ago will face a new trial after the Supreme Court of Canada on Thursday refused to hear a Crown appeal.

Leslie Greenwood has twice been convicted of first-degree murder in the September 2000 deaths of Barry Kirk Mersereau and Nancy Paula Christensen, and twice the convictions were thrown out on appeal.

In the most recent ruling in July, the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal set aside the convictions and ordered a new trial.

The Nova Scotia Crown had sought to overturn the latest decision, but the high court refused to hear the case. As is standard, the judges did not provide reasons.

Nova Scotia prosecutors say a pretrial conference in Supreme Court in Halifax is scheduled for March 16, which will focus on disclosure of evidence for the upcoming trial.

Trial dates are to be set in Supreme Court in Kentville after preliminary matters are resolved.