Beryl Musila changed to guilty her plea in the charge of indecently interfering with the remains of a St. Albert senior however, she continues to maintain her innocence in the first degree murder charge related to his death.
Ronald Worsfold’s body was found in rural Parkland County, near Stony Plain on July 9, 2017.
The first-degree murder trial against Musila in the case of Worsfeld’s death proceeds. Musila, 33, was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder of Worsfold on July 7, 2017.
Musila was previously arraigned, and pleaded not guilty to both charges, in Justice Larry Ackerl’s court on Oct 11, 2022.
After firing her sixth attorney in as many years, she will be self-represented in Edmonton’s Court of King’s Bench for her six week long trial.
After several successful requests for adjournment since her arrest related to change in counsel —and the intervention of the COVID pandemic itself—Musila’s most recent application to once again adjourn trial over counsel issues was denied last week by Justice Ackerl.
A jury of three men and nine women was selected on April 20. One juror was dismissed because of calendar conflicts with the trial dates, and was replaced by an alternate juror.
Amicus lawyer Greg Worobec was present in court, appointed not as her attorney, but to make sure she had a fair trial. Amicus attorneys are not working as defence in a legal case, but are there to help the court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case.
Musila sat quietly, hair up neatly, wearing a black jacket and pants with white top, in the seat of the defense attorney in the teak-paneled courtroom.
Six weeks of the court’s calendar has been blocked off for the long-awaited trial. Crown prosecutors Patricia Hankinson and John Schmidt are prosecuting the case. They are expected to call a number of witnesses.
The trial continues Wednesday, April 26 at 9:30 a.m.
