TORONTO - Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General will be picking up the tab for an appeal attempt by the man convicted of killing eight-year-old Victoria Stafford.
Michael Rafferty's lawyer says he has again be turned down for funding from Legal Aid Ontario after a judge ordered last month that it reconsider Rafferty's case.
Appeal Court Justice Marc Rosenberg had ruled the case is too complex for someone with a Grade 9 education in segregation and with no access to a law library to handle on his own.
Rafferty had been turned down four times by Legal Aid since his convictions in May 2012 for first-degree murder, sexual assault causing bodily harm and kidnapping in Tori's death.
Rosenberg said if Rafferty was turned down again, the lawyer who represented him on the motion would be appointed for the appeal and he would be paid by the attorney general.
Lawyer Paul Calarco says the case is proceeding, but could not comment further as the issue is before the courts.
