The trial of a man accused of attempting to murder a woman with medication will get underway in St. John’s Tuesday.
Jury selection for the trial of Mark Rumbolt, 58, began at Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court Monday morning, with hundreds of potential jurors summoned to the courthouse for the process. The panel of 12 was assembled by late afternoon and Justice David Hurley instructed them about their duties for the next 10 days.
“You are the judge of the facts. I am the judge of the law,” Hurley explained, noting Rumbolt is presumed innocent unless the Crown proves him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Crown prosecutor Scott Hurley is set to call his first witness in the case Tuesday morning. Rumbolt is represented by lawyer Jeff Brace.
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Rumbolt is charged with attempted murder and administering a noxious substance, specifically prescription drugs, to a woman between Jan. 22 and Jan. 23, 2016.
Paramedics were called to a home in the west end of the city, and brought both the woman and Rumbolt to hospital. The RNC was called to the hospital shortly afterward.
Police charged Rumbolt 10 months later, after they received forensic testing results from evidence collected at the home.
According to the RNC, police officers were told Rumbolt had attempted to administer pills to the woman. It’s not known what the medication was or who owned it.
Rumbolt was released from custody on a $10,000 surety. He was committed to stand trial after a preliminary inquiry in the spring of last year, when a provincial court judge ruled there was enough evidence in the case to send it to Supreme Court.
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Twitter: @tara_bradbury
