Loved ones of Victoria Head were in a St. John’s courtroom Tuesday morning — as they have been most days for the past two weeks — for the continuation of the preliminary inquiry of her alleged murderer.
The hearing has lasted eight days so far, and will determine if there is enough evidence to send Steve Bragg, 35, to trial.
Judge Jacqueline Brazil had been scheduled to give her decision Tuesday, but instead asked defence lawyers Bob Buckingham and Brittany Whalen and Crown prosecutors Lisa Stead and Robin Singleton for further submissions on a certain aspect of the case.
Evidence presented at a preliminary inquiry is banned from publication.
Brazil set the matter over until Friday morning.
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Head, 36, was killed last fall. Her body was located near O’Brien’s Farm Road in St. John’s on Nov. 11. The next day, police issued a missing person appeal for Bragg, and he was reportedly located a day after that.
In December, Bragg was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. That charge was upgraded to first-degree murder in February, after police unearthed new evidence in the case.
Head was a native of Placentia and a mother of one, described by her family members as thoughtful and good-hearted. Those close to her called her Vickie.
Police say Head and Bragg knew each other.
Bragg hasn’t attended the preliminary inquiry so far, having been excused after his lawyers filed a successful application on his behalf, though his family members have attended proceedings. Buckingham and Whalen also sought an order to ban members of the public from wearing badges or clothing with Head’s image on them in the courtroom. Judges often ban similar badges or T-shirts in murder trials in an effort to keep proceedings neutral, since they are generally considered by the court to be a demonstration and could be seen as an attempt to influence judges or juries.
The defence lawyers have another application still before the judge: they are seeking an order banning the public from the courtroom during certain portions of a potential trial.
A number of witnesses provided testimony during the preliminary hearing, many of them in person and some via written statements.
Bragg is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday morning on an unrelated matter: he is facing a charge of fraud over $5,000 in connection with a home renovation job, and is set to enter a plea.
Twitter: @tara_bradbury
