Convicted serial killer Paul Bernardo appeared in court Friday, to face a new charge of possessing a homemade weapon for the purpose of committing an offence.
Bernardo was allegedly found in possession of a homemade shank composed of a screw and a pen on Feb. 9, 2018.
Bernardo, 53, appeared in Napanee Superior Court Friday via video link from Millhaven Institution maximum security prison.
He was seen wearing a blue T-shirt for the 10-minute video appearance. As he was waiting for court proceedings to begin, he was seen smiling and laughing with someone off-camera, presumably a prison guard, reports CTV Toronto鈥檚 Tamara Cherry.
Bernardo鈥檚 lawyer requested more disclosure and the matter was put over until May 18.
Bernardo was convicted in the kidnapping, tortures and murders of 14-year-old Leslie Mahaffy, and 15-year-old Kristen French.
He was designated a dangerous offender and sentenced to life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 25 years. He has been serving his sentence segregated from other inmates.
Tim Danson, the lawyer who represented the French and Mahaffy families during the original trial, said Bernardo鈥檚 chances of receiving parole are already slim, but a conviction on this new charge would greatly reduce those odds.
鈥淢y view is ... the chances of Paul Bernardo ever seeing freedom is somewhere between zero and nil,鈥� he told reporters on Friday.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I feel in my gut,鈥� he added. 鈥淏ut only because I鈥檓 confident that we will put forward a very effective response ... I don鈥檛 think the public should panic.鈥�
Danson said that parole boards consider whether there are 鈥渁ny signs of rehabilitation and remorse.鈥�
鈥淗e is not capable of remorse,鈥� Danson said. 鈥淗e will never be capable of remorse.鈥�
鈥淧aul Bernardo will come out one day, but it will be in a pine box.鈥�
Bernardo became eligible for day parole last year and is scheduled for a hearing in October. Danson says Bernardo has postponed the hearing several times and each time the families are forced to relive the murders as they prepare.
鈥淭he whole process has been extremely difficult for the families,鈥� Danson said.
During the hearing, Danson plans to argue that the Parole Board of Canada must come up with a decision on Bernardo鈥檚 dangerous offender designation before deciding his parole eligibility.
Bernardo鈥檚 co-accused, Karla Homolka, was convicted of manslaughter in Mahaffy鈥檚 and French鈥檚 deaths and served 12 years before being released in 2005.
With a report from CTV Toronto鈥檚 Tamara Cherry
