BELLEVILLE, Ont. - The case of disgraced Col. Russell Williams moves to pre-trial stage a month from now.
Williams, who has been the subject of rumours and reports he may plead, made a brief appearance via video link from jail inside a Belleville, Ont., courtroom Thursday morning.
The pre-trial date is set for Aug. 26 and will have Williams appearing again by video link from jail, however no explanation was given for the video link decision.
The brother of one of Williams' alleged victim was in the court Thursday, saying the family is bracing for a long court process.
Andy Lloyd, Jessica Lloyd's older brother, attended court for the first time since Williams started making video appearances.
Lloyd, 29, said the family has been anxious but patient over the last six months.
"We knew it was going to take a long time," he said. "It's kind of getting started now. We're kind of prepared for it to take a long time."
The former commander of CFB Trenton is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Cpl. Marie-France Comeau, 38, of Brighton, Ont., and Jessica Lloyd, 27, of Belleville, Ont.
He is also charged with two counts each of forcible confinement and break and enter, and sexual assault stemming from two attacks on women last September in the small town of Tweed, Ont., where Williams lived.
In addition, he faces 82 charges related to break-ins.
One of Williams' alleged sex assault victims, identified only as Jane Doe, has launched a $2.45-million lawsuit against Williams and his wife, Mary-Elizabeth Harriman. The 21-year-old woman claims the "horrific and reprehensible" alleged sexual attack has left her fearful and suicidal.
The woman is also suing Harriman, claiming Williams fraudulently transferred an Ottawa property to his wife in an effort to defeat Jane Doe's claim.
The criminal charges have not yet been tested in court nor have the civil allegations.
Lloyd described the experience of seeing William on video for the first time as "very different" but "kind of what I was expecting."
He described Williams as "a guy in a orange jump-suit." "It didn't last very long, so that was good I guess," he said.
Lloyd said he managed to keep his emotions in check because "I've kind of been preparing for it," but he conceded that the moment did evoke a slight feeling of "sadness." "Obviously I'm in a little bit of shock," he added.
He said investigators "have been keeping the whole family up to speed on what happens and how it happens." Lloyd said that, until Thursday, he was following the case through court through the media "just like everybody else." He said the family has been coping well since his sister's death. He said they have also been visited by other relatives.
"We've had a lot of help from people," he said. "My mom has been down in Florida a little bit. It's been really good." Lloyd said, for now, he will serve as the sole representative for the family at the court hearings.
"For the time being anyway," he said. "We're just going to take it day to day." He said his mother "doesn't want to deal with any of this stuff." Lloyd said the entire ordeal has progressed faster than he expected since his sister's slaying.
"It almost feels like it has been faster than that," he said.
"Time is just kind of flying. Which is kind of good because I know its going to take a long time to get things done." Lloyd said he has no desire to speak to Williams.
He said no court outcome can repay the loss his family suffered when his sister was killed.
"What's closure really?" he said. "Hopefully everything works out for the best as far as the justice system, but I don't know really if that's going to be closure."
