Halifax man charged with two counts of first-degree murder gets lawyer

The case of Tyrell Peter Dechamp is moving forward, now that he has found a lawyer.

Dechamp’s lawyer, Geoff Newton, appeared in Halifax provincial court on Wednesday and was granted an adjournment until Feb. 6. Dechamp appeared via video conference from Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth.

Dechamp is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Tyler Bradley Richards and Naricho Clayton and the attempted murder of Ricardo Whynder.

Richards was found dead on the 6900 block of Cook Avenue in Halifax on April 17, 2016. Two days later, while responding to a report of multiple shots fired, Halifax Regional Police found Clayton dead and Whynder with life-threatening injuries in a vehicle around the 2000 block of Gottingen Street.

Dechamp was arrested in Ottawa on April 28, 2016, after he violated parole by not returning to his Halifax address for an 11 p.m. curfew on April 19.

Newton asked provincial court Judge Ann Marie Simmons for more time to prepare his case.

He told the court the “Crown doesn’t have disclosure to provide the defence as of yet,” though Crown attorney Kim McOnie has provided him with a witness list.

Dechamp is expected to appear in court again via video conference on Feb. 6.