Emotions ran high in a Halifax courtroom Wednesday morning as one of Loretta Saunders’ uncles lunged at the couple accused of killing her.
Judge Anne Derrick called a morning recess after reading a ruling about admissible evidence, and had just left the courtroom when the scuffle ensued.
The man was in the third row of the public gallery and muttering expletives directed at the accused when he suddenly lunged forward, yelling.
The accused, Blake Leggette and Victoria Henneberry, were rushed out of the courtroom to a secure room through a back door.
One sheriff pushed the courtroom’s panic button and additional sheriffs rushed to help, as several people in the gallery broke down in tears.
Several family members helped the sheriffs hold the man back while Saunders’ aunt pleaded with everyone to calm down.
“We are here for Loretta,” said Linda Saunders-McLean. “These people need to see we are here for her, for her voice, for her flesh and blood. They need to be filled with guilt and shame when they see us."
The man was led out of the courtroom and has been banned from attending further court proceedings.
“I certainly was worried about my client’s safety this morning,” said defence attorney Terry Sheppard. “That was quite the scary moment.”
Many of Saunders’ family members have travelled from Newfoundland and Labrador to attend the preliminary hearing. They stood united outside the courthouse during a break, wearing T-shirts bearing the words "speak the truth" and a picture of Saunders with her father.
Additional security officers stood outside as the accused were taken back to the Nova Scotia Correctional Centre at the end of the day.
Wednesday marked the third day of a preliminary hearing for the couple accused of murdering Saunders.
Leggette, 26, and Henneberry, 28, are charged with first-degree murder in Saunders’ death.
Saunders, 26, was originally from Labrador but was a student at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax at the time of her death. The Inuk woman had been writing a thesis on murdered and missing aboriginal women.
She was last seen alive at her apartment in Halifax’s Cowie Hill neighbourhood on Feb. 13 and was reported missing Feb. 17. She had been renting the apartment to Henneberry and Leggette.
Saunders’ body was found in a hockey bag in a ditch off the Trans-Canada Highway near Salisbury, N.B. on Feb. 26.
Her family says she was three months’ pregnant at the time.
Five days have been set aside for the preliminary inquiry.
The court heard from four police witnesses on Wednesday; all were questioned by both the Crown and defence.
Six civilian witnesses are expected to testify on Thursday. The Crown has been asked to call Saunders’ boyfriend and family members on behalf of the defence.
A publication ban prevents media from reporting much of the evidence heard in court.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kelland Sundahl and The Canadian Press
