Ontario’s highest court begins hearing Dellen Millard, Mark Smich appeals

Ontario’s highest court has started hearing the appeals of two men convicted of the high-profile murders of Tim Bosma and Laura Babcock.

Dellen Millard is also appealing his conviction for the murder of his father, Wayne Millard.

The Ontario Court of Appeal will first hear Millard and his co-convicted Mark Smich appeal their December 2017 convictions for murdering Babcock.

The Crown says the evidence against the two men is overwhelming, arguing Millard enlisted Smich’s help to carry out the July 2012 murder of his ex-lover to settle a love triangle with his girlfriend.

Smich’s lawyer told the court this morning a crucial issue in his appeal will be the argument that the trial judge failed to properly instruct the jury on determining Smich’s liability for the murder, arguing the case relied heavily on his conduct after the offence.

While Millard is represented by a lawyer in his appeal of the Babcock conviction, he will represent himself in the other two appeals scheduled to be heard by the three-judge panel later this week.