Nova Scotia

N.S. man accused of killing his wife released on bail

A Cole Harbour, N.S., man is being released from jail while he awaits trial on a charge of first-degree murder. Edmund Joseph Organ, 77, is accused of killing his wife, Judith, on June 9. He has been in custody since.

Joseph Organ, 77, is charged with first-degree murder

A man in a grey sweatshirt steps out of a police van.
Edgar Joseph Organ, 77, of Cole Harbour, N.S., is charged with first-degree murder in the June death of his wife. (Craig Paisley/CBC)

A Cole Harbour, N.S., man is being released from jail while he awaits trial on a charge of first-degree murder.

Edmund Joseph Organ, 77, is accused of killing his wife, Judith, on June 9. Organ has been in custody since.

At a hearing Friday afternoon in Nova Scotia Supreme Court, Crown prosecutors consented to Organ's release on certain conditions.

Those conditions include that he reside with his adult son. The two men have pledged a total of $75,000 in real property to ensure Organ complies with terms of his release.

Organ must remain in his son's home, unless accompanied by his son. He's not allowed to have any weapons or to consume drugs or alcohol.

RCMP said in June they received a call from a man who said he'd killed a woman inside his home on Agincourt Crescent in Cole Harbour. Police surrounded the home and convinced the man to surrender.

A psychiatric assessment released earlier this week showed Organ is fit to stand trial. The case returns to court next month to set dates for a preliminary inquiry.

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Blair Rhodes

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Blair Rhodes has been a journalist for more than 40 years, the last 31 with CBC. His primary focus is on stories of crime and public safety. He can be reached at blair.rhodes@cbc.ca