Mike Richards’ first hearing for a charge of possession of a controlled substance took place in Emerson, Manitoba on Thursday. No plea was offered, and Richards did not appear in court, according to Lisa Dillman of the LA Times.
He was represented in court by veteran criminal defense attorney Hymie Weinstein, according to multiple media reports.
“The counsel has received initial disclosure from the Crown but there’s additional disclosure to come,” Weinstein told the Winnipeg Free Press.
Per Dillman, the next court date is scheduled for December 8.
According to Jessica Botelho-Urbanski of the Winnipeg Free Press, Weinstein is “acting as an agent for Richards’ primary lawyer David Humphrey, who is based in Toronto.”
Via Botelho-Urbanski, the hearing took “approximately one minute.”
Crown attorney Victoria Cornick agreed to having Weinstein represent Richards and Humphrey.
After the hearing, she said she felt confident Richards would make a personal appearance in court, if or when he was needed.
Humphrey, reached by phone after the court proceedings, said he couldn’t confirm who would be representing Richards next in court.
The defense counsel is still waiting on “initial disclosure” from the Crown, he said.
“Mike intends to vigorously defend the case and we’re awaiting further disclosure, which we expect to receive well before December 8,” Humphrey said.
Citing a “material breach of the requirements of his Standard Player’s Contract,” the Kings announced on June 29 that they had terminated the remaining five years and $22-million of Richards’ contract. The center had been arrested at the United States-Canada border earlier that month after officials had allegedly found oxycodone in his possession.
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