Jermaine Carvery will have a preliminary hearing early next year for the more than 20 charges he faces for his alleged role in a string of robberies and for breaking away from custody.
Carvery was back at Halifax Provincial Court yesterday morning, less than 24 hours after his case was put over one day for election and show cause.
Several sheriff deputies again surrounded Carvery during his brief court appearance. They also left his leg shackles on.
Defence attorney Warren Zimmer said his client had elected for a trial by judge and jury. He also requested a preliminary hearing, which will start on Jan. 18, 2010 and will last about six weeks.
Carvery will remain in custody until his next court appearance, which in Nova Scotia is Nov. 27 for a focus hearing.
Carvery managed to break out of his leg shackles and escape from guards last April during a transfer from the Burnside jail to the Victoria General Hospital for day surgery. He was eventually caught two months later in Niagara Falls, Ont., and sent back to Halifax last week.
Aside from escaping custody, other charges against him include robbery, attempted robbery and hostage-taking. They stem from a string of robberies in 2004, including one at a Halifax Costco where 42 employees were confined while the thieves made off with a large quantity of cigarettes.
Carvery also has outstanding matters to deal with in Ontario in October. Nova Scotia Crown attorney Shauna MacDonald was unsure how long Carvery would remain here before heading back to Ontario.
