Francis Proulx arrives at the Quebec City courthouse Monday May 19, 2008. The lawyer for Proulx, a Quebec man who murdered a political aide, wants the Supreme Court to hear an appeal of his client's conviction. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jean-François Desgagné
July 17, 2012 - 4:08 PM
QUEBEC - The lawyer for a Quebec man who murdered a political aide wants the Supreme Court to hear an appeal of his client's conviction.
Today's announcement comes a day after Quebec's highest court said there are no grounds to give Francis Proulx a new trial.
A jury convicted Proulx of first-degree murder in 2009 in the killing of Nancy Michaud in May 2008.
He was sentenced to life in prison.
His lawyers argued jurors were not sufficiently instructed about a possible verdict of not criminally responsible because of mental problems.
They also insisted Proulx didn't get a fair trial because his psychiatric expert witness admitted he had lied on the stand.
However, the appeals court ruled that had no impact on Proulx's case, pointing out that the witness was later found not guilty of perjury and had not meant to mislead the court.
The lawyers also asserted during the trial that Proulx kidnapped and killed Michaud because of medication he was taking.
Michaud, a mother of two, was an aide to then-natural resources minister Claude Bechard, who has since died of cancer.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012