Ten years following the killing of Taylor Samson in a south-end Halifax apartment, the legal battle against his murderer continues. William Sandeson, appearing via video from a Quebec prison, appealed his second-degree murder conviction, pushing for a dismissal of the charge or a reduction in his sentence. Sandeson, previously convicted of first-degree murder, was found guilty of second-degree murder in February 2023, receiving a minimum additional prison term of 7.5 years before parole eligibility.
The trials revealed that Sandeson and Samson met for a drug transaction at Sandeson’s apartment, where Sandeson shot Samson instead of completing the deal for nine kilograms of marijuana worth $40,000. Notably, Samson’s body was never recovered. Representing himself in court after being denied legal aid, Sandeson scrutinized the conduct of a private detective hired by his legal team to interview witnesses.
Specifically, the detective unearthed that two individuals residing across from Sandeson’s apartment altered their initial statements to the police. They previously claimed they did not witness anything related to the incident, but upon further questioning, they recounted hearing a gunshot and seeing a man slouched over in Sandeson’s apartment. Sandeson criticized the delayed disclosure of this crucial evidence by the police to his legal team during the proceedings.
While acknowledging mishandling of evidence disclosure in the original trial, Crown lawyer Timothy O’Leary contended that such errors should not invalidate the conviction or reduce Sandeson’s sentence. The Crown argued against any notion of a deliberate conspiracy to convict Sandeson, emphasizing that any procedural missteps should not result in a favorable outcome for the appellant. The court has reserved its decision on the matter.
