ANOTHER LENGTHY DELAY FOR DRUG TRIAL

Jurors chosen before Halloween learned Monday that the drug trial
they are to hear won't get underway until well after Christmas.

The trial for six men charged in 2005 after RCMP officers raided a
large marijuana grow operation on the Pasqua First Nation in the Fort
Qu'Appelle area is now slated to start on Jan. 23.

"I am going to once again have to ask for your understanding," Court
of Queen's Bench Justice Frank Gerein told the jury of seven women
and five men as they took their seats in a Regina courtroom.

The 12 were chosen during a day-long jury selection on Oct. 15. With
a total of 330 potential jurors reporting, it was the largest jury
selection ever in the city.

At the conclusion of that process, the chosen jurors were told to
report for the trial of Lawrence Hubert Agecoutay, 51, Chester
Fernand Girard, 59, Nelson Edward Northwood, 58, Jack Allan
Northwood, 55, Joseph Clayton Agecoutay, 47, and Robert Stanley
Agecoutay, 48, on Oct. 17. But on that day, Gerein told them the
trial, expected to last three to four weeks, had been rescheduled to
Nov. 26 because "a problem had arisen."

On Monday, Gerein said another adjournment was needed.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's the last time," he added.

The judge explained five of the accused, who previously weren't
represented by lawyers, have since decided they need counsel.

"I think we're now ready to go," said Gerein, who added that the
lawyers now need time to prepare for the case.

The six accused have pleaded not guilty to unlawful production of
marijuana and possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking
between April 1 and Aug. 21, 2005.

When Gerein asked if any of the jurors had a "serious problem" with
the new trial date, five hands shot up.

"I do want to emphasize it has to be a serious problem, not just an
inconvenience," he stated.

In the end, four jurors were excused.

They are to be replaced during jury selection at the start of the trial.