WATCH: The man accused of murdering Jessica Newman made a brief court appearance Friday. Kevin Rubletz remains behind bars, but Newman’s family is fearful he’ll be released on bail. Global’s Nancy Hixt reports.
CALGARY – A man accused of killing Calgary mother Jessica Newman made a brief court appearance Friday morning.
Kevin Rubletz is charged with the second-degree murder of Newman, who is his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his child.
Rubletz remained in remand on Friday, but it’s his right to apply for release.
Newman’s family said they’re fearful he will be granted bail.
“Well we live in close proximity, so yes there’s a real concern that if he can do this to one of our family members, if he did it, there is a possibility we might be at risk,” said Lynda Abell, Newman’s aunt.
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Newman’s best friend, Amber Adam, is trying to deal with the fact Newman’s ex-boyfriend is charged in the murder.
“Every morning you are going to wake up and know she’s not there, and know he still gets to–if he is the one who did this–he gets to live every day, and see the light of day, and enjoy life,” said Adam. “She doesn’t get to do that now.”
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The Crown prosecutor has yet to decide if Alberta Justice will oppose his release.
“We always look at it in terms of the strength of the Crown’s case and whether the person should be detained either on the ground of: Will they attend court? Will they interfere in the administration of justice?” said Crown prosecutor Shane Parker. “In other words, will they re-offend, interfere with witnesses, or those kinds of concerns.”
Parker told reporters he needs input from police, surviving victims in the case, family members and friends before he decides the plan for Rubletz moving forward.
Thirty-year-old Rubletz was originally denied legal aid, but his defence challenged that decision and he was granted government-funded legal counsel on Friday.
“The Alberta Justice representative counsel asked for the evidence that we’d be providing,” said Rubletz’s defence lawyer Brendan Miller. “We provided it, she consented, I got instructions from the AG to consent, and that is what happened today.”
“He’s holding up. Of course he’s never been in any trouble like this, and has no criminal record, never been in jail, so it’s an experience.”
Newman went missing on March 10. Her body was found nearly two months later northeast of the city.
The Crown has prepared Newman’s family for a long court process.
“People see TV and movies and think it’s going to be over in two hours or the length of a good book, but the reality is the way we are setting trials particularly in Calgary, Alberta right now, is by the time we get through a preliminary inquiry and we get to a jury trial, we’re probably looking at two to two-and-a-half years,” said Parker.
Newman’s family and friends plan to be at every court appearance wanting answers, and justice for Newman.
“She’s our family member and we want to be there for every moment she can’t,” said Lisa Chiasson, Newman’s aunt.
The Crown has not presented their full case to defence through disclosure yet; that will happen before the next court appearance on August 7.
At that time, the defence will decide if Rubletz will proceed with a bail hearing.
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