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Lacombe man whose manslaughter sentence was rejected by judge has new lawyer

Judge rejected proposed seven-year sentence for manslaughter in connection with 2019 homicide
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A Lacombe man who is expected to apply to withdraw his manslaughter guilty plea in connection with a December 2019 homicide has found a new lawyer.

Tyler John Campbell will be represented by Red Deer lawyer Rod Clark.

Campbell, 28, pleaded guilty last November to manslaughter for shooting Ponoka’s Jeffery Kraft, 20, on Dec. 15, 2019 on a rural road just outside Lacombe.

However, earlier this year Red Deer provincial court Judge Jim Hunter twice rejected a seven-year sentence joint submission from the Crown prosecutor and defence.

Campbell has the right to apply to Hunter to change his plea from guilty to not guilty. If the judge agrees, a new trial could be set for Campbell, who remains in custody.

Given the turn of events, the judge agreed to a request by Campbell’s previous lawyer to be removed from the case.

Campbell is due back in court on May 10 to provide an update on the case. It is expected his lawyer will make an application to have Campbell’s guilty plea vacated.

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