The man charged with the 2012 murder of 75-year-old Mervin Hankins made his first appearance in Port Alberni court on March 9.
Channon Coulter did not enter a plea to the charge. He fired his court-appointed counsel, Charles Beckingham, and hired another defence lawyer, Bobak Movassaghi. When the two lawyers got into a disagreement, they were both asked to leave the courtroom.
Movassaghi returned and set another appearance for Coulter on March 16 via video link.
Coulter was arrested on Feb. 26 in Mission. According to the RCMP, he did not resist the arrest.
Hankins was found dead in his Fourth Avenue home on Jan. 13, 2012 by a relative.
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