Janelle Mercury Belton

The appellants, a father and stepmother, were convicted of second-degree murder in the death of their ten-year-old son following prolonged abuse.

On appeal, the father argued the trial judge erred in denying a mid-trial application for severance after late disclosure of photographs.

The stepmother argued the trial judge erred in finding her pre-arrest and post-arrest statements to police were voluntary.

The Court of Appeal dismissed both appeals, finding no injustice in the denial of severance and upholding the trial judge's application of the law on voluntariness.