The lawyer for a member of a Montreal family that has been charged with killing other family members says he is "seriously considering" asking for a change of venue for the case due to the negative press surrounding the case in Kingston and in Montreal.

Lawyer Waice Ferdoussi also confirmed that his client Mohammad Shafi, accused of murdering and planning to murder three of his daughters and his alleged first wife, is planning to plead not guilty at a court appearance on Aug. 6.

Arrested and charged

Last week, Mohammad Shafia, 56, wife Tooba Yahya, 39, and son Hamed Mohammad Shafia,18, were each charged with four counts of first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of sisters Zainab,19, Sahar,17, and Geeti Shafia, 13, along with Rona Amir Mohammad, 52.

The bodies of the four women were found in a car submerged in the Kingston Mills locks on June 30.

The family is originally from Afghanistan. It is believed Rona Amir Mohammad is the first wife of Mohammad Shafia.

Honour killing

Ferdoussi says the media's talk of the crime as an "honour killing" has effectively poisoned the atmosphere in both in Kingston, where the crime happened, and Montreal, where the family lived in St. Leonard.