National News posted Jul 19, 2019 @ 07:30am by The Canadian Press

Judge finds Dennis Oland not guilty of murder in multi-millionaire father's death

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.

<who>Photo Credit: The Canadian Press

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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