Court of King’s Bench justice dismisses Greg Fertuck request as ‘ill-conceived’

A Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench justice has dismissed what he called an “ill-conceived” attempt to admit new information into the global voir dire at the Greg Fertuck murder trial.

A voir dire — or  “trial within a trial” — is held to determine whether certain evidence is admissible during a trial.

In Fertuck’s case, it includes information collected during a “Mr. Big” sting operation in 2019 during which the RCMP claims Fertuck admitted to killing his ex-wife.

The 68-year-old Fertuck is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Sheree Fertuck on Dec. 7, 2015. Her body has never been found.

Greg Fertuck pleaded not guilty when his trial began in September of 2021. The trial has been filled with delays, ranging from COVID-19 concerns to new evidence presented in voir dires to various requests for extensions by both the Crown and defence.

Fertuck, who is now representing himself after his lawyers withdrew, sat at a table Wednesday with lawyer Brent Little, the amicus curiae or “friend of the court” tasked with helping Fertuck with paperwork and procedural matters.

Little told Justice Richard Danyliuk he didn’t understand the reasoning or circumstances for Fertuck’s application.

Among the requests included in the application were for Danyliuk to listen to portions of a separate trial held earlier in the spring, and submitting specific financial records to the court. Fertuck also accused an RCMP officer of lying, and claimed a television program he watched earlier this summer had similarities to his case.

The Crown responded to the requests by telling the court there hadn’t been any groundwork laid to make a fresh evidence application, and that there was little relevant, credible or reliable information in the statements.

Danyliuk agreed, dismissing the application and telling Fertuck “bluntly” that he couldn’t come to the courthouse, throw “a bunch of sticks” on the stairs and expect a fire.

“You don’t get to say what you want whenever you want,” Danyliuk added after sternly telling Fertuck he was speaking out of turn.

Danyliuk then told Fertuck his application for the recordings and banking records to be admitted into the voir dire was dismissed.

A decision on the admissibility of evidence presented in the global voir dire is expected Sept. 22 with the trial proper to begin following that decision.

Sheree Fertuck disappeared in December 2015 after leaving her family’s farmyard east of Kenaston. Her semi-truck was found abandoned at a nearby gravel pit, with her keys, jacket and cellphone still inside.