Yellowknife (Oct 17/03) - A Yellowknife man accused of murdering his wife made his first appearance in territorial court this week.

Ian Adam Kirby, 59, sat in the prisoner's box with his arms crossed and staring straight ahead during the brief appearance, which ended with a one-week adjournment.

Crown attorney Shelley Tkatch told the court she expected to provide Kirby's lawyer, Kelly Payne, with disclosure sometime today.

"Given the nature of the case, there is a lot of disclosure," said Tkatch.

Judge Brian Bruser agreed to allow Payne one week to go over the information. Kirby is due back in court October 21.

He is facing one count of second degree murder in connection with the death of Betsy Kalaserk-Kirby, whose body was found Sept. 30 in the couple's ground floor unit at Polaris Apartments. Police arrested him later that afternoon in a downtown bar. The coroner's office and the RCMP are not releasing the cause of Kalaserk-Kirby's death until their investigation is complete.

"It's a unique case, so there is some information we cannot disclose at this point," said Sgt. Steve McVarnock.

"But that will become public information in time through the court process."