Amanda Vaughan
Northern News Services
Published Friday, December 14, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - A second court appearance for an accused cop killer prompted a judge to wonder why he was appearing in a Yellowknife court instead of in Hay River where the slaying occurred.

"This is a Hay River matter, is it not?" Chief Justice Brian Bruser asked Crown lawyers prosecuting the case yesterday.

Plain clothes RCMP officers led accused Mountie killer Emrah Bulatci (on the left) into the Yellowknife courthouse Thursday morning. - Jessica Klinkenberg/NNSL photo

Prosecutor John Cliffe replied that since the accused Emrah Bulatci was being held at the North Slave Correctional Centre, it was less of a burden on the courts to keep him in Yellowknife rather than transport him to Hay River for minor court appearances such as yesterday's.

There was no word on whether the case will eventually be moved to Hay River.

The case was adjourned until Jan. 24 because of Bulatci's inability to retain a lawyer. Defence counsel Terri Nguyen explained to the court that she was acting as an agent for Edmonton lawyer Jamel Chadi, who has yet to be retained by Bulatci but was expected to be soon.

Bulatci himself sat quietly in the prisoner's dock for the duration of the appearance, which lasted less than 10 minutes.

The courtroom was full, with several RCMP officers, court workers and media representatives watching the brief proceedings. Security was stepped up yet again in response to the high-profile case. The courthouse was swarming with sheriffs, and visitors all had to pass through metal detectors and be searched upon entering.

Bulatci, 23, is charged with first degree murder in the killing of Const. Christopher Worden, a 30-year-old Hay River RCMP officer who was shot on Oct. 6.

Bulatci led the police on a six-day manhunt before he was finally arrested at an Edmonton residence.