A man charged with first-degree murder of a Newmarket resident is scheduled to appear in front of a special court to resolve his case after losing his counsel.
Phillip Rulli appeared at a Newmarket Ontario Court of Justice meeting via video to answer to the charge on Sept. 25. His charge was upgraded from second-degree murder.
Wearing an orange prison uniform, he appeared erratic, yelling expletives. He had to be muted.
“I did the crime. I did the murder, so what is the big deal?" said Rulli.
Justice of the Peace Ann Johnson gave Rulli the option to either apply for legal aid, self-represent in court or resolve the case. He decided to resolve. She moved his case to the judge-led intensive case management (JCMC) system, designed to have cases either stuck or delayed moving forward. He will be brought back in court on Sept. 26 at 9 a.m.
“Honesty will set you free,” said Rulli.
Rulli was scheduled to be represented by criminal defence lawyer Don Carter but he has not been retained. Carter has been trying to have Rulli fill out a legal aid application so he can assist him, but Rulli has pushed back on the request. Carter said he cannot assist Rulli until a legal aid certificate is granted.
“At this point, I think Mr. Rulli is on his own,” said Carter.
Carter was previously brought in to assist Rulli with his case and requested some time to review the disclosure on Sept. 16.
Justice of the Peace Tina Rotondi previously issued a bench warrant on Sept. 13 after Rulli did not show up in Newmarket Superior Court on his own accord.
Rulli was charged with second-degree murder in the death of Dennis Sweet, 66, in an apartment building at Timothy and Prospect streets in Newmarket.
York Regional Police were called to the building for a welfare check on Sept. 2, where they found Sweet, who had been stabbed and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The accused and the victim were known to each other, police said.
