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Trial date postponed for man charged with killing Abbotsford police officer

Oscar Arfmann’s trial pushed back from January to May 2019
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Abbotsford Police Const. John Davidson was killed in the line of duty on Nov. 6, 2017.

The man charged with the shooting death of Abbotsford Police Const. John Davidson on Nov. 6, 2017 has had his trial postponed.

Oscar Arfmann, 66, was originally scheduled to begin his trial on Jan. 21, 2019. The new date is May 21.

The trial will take place in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster and is scheduled to run from May 21 to 31 and June 18 to Aug. 2.

Arfmann had initially elected to have a trial by jury, but that has since been changed to a judge-only trial.

The matter is next in court on March 26 for a pre-trial conference.

RELATED: Trial date scheduled for man charged with killing Abbotsford officer

Arfmann, an Alberta resident, was charged Nov. 7, 2017 with first-degree murder after Davidson was killed in the line of duty.

The 53-year-old officer was the first on scene after police received reports of shots being fired at civilians at a strip mall on Mt. Lehman Road in Abbotsford.

Davidson was struck by gunfire and was pronounced dead in hospital shortly after.

Arfmann was arrested not far from the scene following a brief police chase that ended in a crash and with more shots being fired. He was injured in the incident and was taken to hospital.

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RELATED: Family of accused cop killer says he has mental health issues

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Oscar Arfmann, charged with killing Abbotsford Police Const. John Davidson, has had his trial delayed until spring 2019.


Vikki Hopes

About the Author: Vikki Hopes

I have been a journalist for almost 40 years, and have been at the Abbotsford News since 1991.
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