2 weeks Ago By Kevin Martin
Calgary murder suspect Dennis George Hart will face a three-week jury trial in the fall of 2025, his lawyer told court Friday. Defence counsel Robin McIntyre appeared in Calgary Court of King’s bench to schedule Hart’s trial to run from Nov. 17 to Dec.
5, 2025. “This matter is here to confirm a trial date,” McIntyre said. McIntyre told Justice Lisa Silver the jury hearing the case will be selected on Nov.
13. Hart, 53, is charged with second-degree murder in connection with the Sept. 12, 2023, fatal stabbing of Sean Barber in a northwest Calgary home.
Police said they responded around 3:25 a.m. to reports of a disturbance at a residence in the 7700 block of 41 Ave.
N.W where they found a man who appeared to have stab wounds, according to news release following the homicide. Barber, 54, was pronounced dead at the scene and investigators determined he was killed during a fight, police reported.
Two men were taken into custody at the scene, police said, but it was later believed one was a witness and was not involved in the altercation. Hart was committed to stand trial following a preliminary inquiry in Calgary Court of Justice, which concluded July 2. Justice Karl Wilberg agreed with Crown prosecutors James Thomas and Kenna Morris that there was sufficient evidence to order Hart to stand trial before a Court of King’s Bench jury.
McIntyre did not argue against her client’s committal, conceding the prosecution had exceeded the low bar for establishing a case should proceed to trial. At the beginning of the preliminary inquiry on June 4, Wilberg ordered a publication ban on the evidence called by Thomas and Morris during the hearing, which involved testimony from 10 witnesses, including one who needed to be brought to court under warrant. Hart, who faces a life sentence if convicted, remains in custody pending trial.
X: @KMartinCourts.
