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Regina three-man murder, dismemberment trial stumbles out the gate

Michael Bellegarde, 24, exits court Wednesday. The Crown is expected to call its case Monday. Adrian Rabber / Global News

The three-man murder trial into the killing of Reno Lee, has been delayed after two jurors were excused.

The original jury selection occurred on Monday and Tuesday at the Conexus Arts Centre. There they narrowed 580 potential jurors to the panel of 14 that were chosen.

The next day the court excused two of the jurors, citing personal reasons that would impact their ability to hear the case.

The court asked representatives from the Crown and the defense whether they wished to proceed in the matter, and despite a 4-1 vote indicating a desire to begin the trial with just 12 jurors, the decision was made to select two additional jurors on Thursday.

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Two jurors will be selected from a pool of roughly 60 people from the original juror pool.

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The Crown was expected to call its case today, but due to the delay, that has been scheduled now to begin on Monday.

Daniel Theodore, 34, Bronson Gordon, 33, and Michael Bellegarde, 24, pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder of 34-year-old Reno Lee, and to committing indecencies to a human body.

It’s alleged they dismembered and decapitated Lee’s body.

Lee is believed to have been killed on April 18, 2015. His body was found on April 30th.

The trial is expected to take six weeks.

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