Dennis Oland has been found not guilty of second−degree murder in the 2011 bludgeoning death of his multi−millionaire father, Richard.
Justice Terrence Morrison of the New Brunswick Court of Queen’s Bench delivered his decision this morning to a packed courtroom in Saint John, N.B.
Dennis Oland hugged his defence team after the verdict was read, and there were tears of joy from his family members.
Richard Oland died after being struck 45 times with a hammer−like weapon in July 2011, leaving his skull cracked in several places.
The Crown had argued the younger Oland’s financial problems provided a motive for the crime. The defence had countered that the Crown’s case was based on circumstantial evidence, with pieces that didn’t add up.
Oland, 51, was convicted of murder by a jury in 2015, but the verdict was set aside on appeal and a new trial was ordered. The second trial was heard by judge alone.
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