By Troy Gillard (Twitter: @Troy_Gillard)

Decision coming on Jordan application for Castor man accused of killing family

Aug 28, 2017 | 10:59 AM

Lawyers for two men charged in the murders of three family members in Castor in December 2013 have filed an application in court over a delay of proceedings.

Jason Gordon Klaus, 41, is charged with three counts of first degree murder and one count of arson in relation to the deaths of his father Gordon Klaus, 61, his mother Sandra Klaus, 62, and his sister Monica Klaus, 40. His friend Joshua Frank, 32, faces the same charges along with one animal cruelty-related count.

The three people died in a house fire in Castor on December 8, 2013. The remains of Gordon and Monica were discovered in what remained of the burned out house. Sandra’s remains were never found, though police investigators believe they were consumed by the blaze.

Klaus and Frank were arrested and charged in August 2014 after police dive teams discovered a key piece of evidence.

Klaus fired his original lawyer a couple months later just as a date was to be set for a preliminary hearing. A hearing was eventually held in late February and early March of 2016 where it was determined there was enough evidence for the case to go to trial. It is currently scheduled for Oct. 10 – Nov. 24, 2017 in Red Deer.

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The Jordan decision, as it has come to be known, was issued on July 8, 2016. It establishes timelines that trials must be heard by 18 months after charges are laid for provincial court, and 30 months for a for a province’s superior court (Court of Queen’s Bench).

In Alberta courts, 130 Jordan applications have been filed from October 25, 2016 – August 24, 2017. Of those applications 29 were dismissed while seven were granted, 32 were abandoned by the defence while 13 were proactively stayed by the Crown on the basis that they wouldn’t survive a Jordan application. Currently, 21 applications are still pending.

Justice John S. Little will issue a written decision regarding the application in the Klaus/Frank case, which was heard in Red Deer court this past Thursday. No date has been given as to when the decision will be announced.

by Troy Gillard (Twitter: @Troy_Gillard)

Decision coming on Jordan application for Castor man accused of killing family

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