Peter Beckett murder trial may not move

Peter Beckett, former Napier city councillor, accused of murdering his wife in 2010.

A former Napier city councillor accused of murdering his Canadian wife while on vacation in British Columbia six years ago may not apply to move his second trial out of Kamloops.

Peter Beckett stood trial on one count of first-degree murder earlier this year stemming from the August 18, 2010, death of his wife, Laura Letts, who drowned in Upper Arrow Lake.

After a three-month BC Supreme Court trial that wrapped up in April, a Kamloops jury was unable to return with a unanimous verdict. A mistrial was declared and Beckett later announced plans to apply to move his retrial out of Kamloops.

During a brief hearing yesterday, the court heard Beckett has hired a new lawyer who asked for time to go over disclosure. Marilyn Sandford also hinted at the possibility that a change-of-venue application may not be heard.

The Crown's case against Beckett, who moved to Alberta in 2002 to marry Letts, is a circumstantial one. Prosecutors allege he killed his wife out of greed, hoping to cash in on life insurance and accidental-death benefits, as well as her teacher's pension.

Beckett, meanwhile, maintained during the trial that Letts' death was either suicide or an accident.

Letts admitted to having suicidal thoughts in a 2007 diary entry.

The court heard Letts went into the water while she and Beckett were on an evening boat ride near Shelter Bay provincial park campground. She was not wearing a life jacket and was not a strong swimmer.

Lawyers are expected to return to court on September 19 to address logistical issues with a potential change of venue, and hear whether a hearing will take place. Beckett has been in custody since his arrest in 2011.

In April, following his first trial, he labelled the court he stood trial in a "kangaroo court".

"I've been disgusted with the whole Kamloops kangaroo court from the get-go," the 59-year-old told KTW in a jailhouse interview after his jury returned hung.

"You can't convict a guy of first-degree murder based on the Crown's theory that he lied. Kangaroo court doesn't even begin to describe what goes on in Kamloops," Beckett said.

- Kamloops This Week