Jury finds Mark Stobbe not guilty of second degree murder

After two full days of deliberation a jury has declared former political advisor Mark Stobbe not guilty of second degree murder.

The 12-member panel met for about 10 hours Wednesday, and did not return to court to ask any questions of the judge. On Thursday, the jury returned to court at noon to deliver their verdict.

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Stobbe is accused of second-degree murder in the Oct. 24, 2000, death of his wife, Beverly Rowbotham near Selkirk, Man.

The Crown alleged Stobbe attacked his wife with a hatchet in their backyard, then drove her body 15 kilometres away to make it look like she had been robbed.

Stobbe has denied the accusation, and testified that he fell asleep while his wife went out grocery shopping.

Stobbe was a high-ranking adviser to NDP governments in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.