MONTREAL -- Luka Magnotta has pleaded not guilty to all five charges he faces in connection with the death of Lin Jun.
The Concordia University student was murdered and dismembered in May 2012, and Magnotta was arrested several weeks later after a worldwide manhunt.
Magnotta first pleaded not guilty in a lower court back in June 2012 after he was arrested, and at that time, appeared by video conference. On Wednesday he was physically inside the courtroom, and this time formally pleaded not guilty in front of Quebec Superior Court Justice Guy Cournoyer.
Magnotta is appearing in court under heavy security, wearing handcuffs and leg shackles while being placed in a glass box, details defence lawyer Luc Leclair fought against having the media report, arguing it could compromise his client’s right to a fair trial.
Leclair argued that extensive media coverage -- including details on tight security -- could be "poisoning" the minds of potential jurors.
Crown prosecutors and a lawyer representing the media argued otherwise.
“I'm convinced that you can find 12 impartial people who will be able to hear this case. When you're looking for an impartial jury, you're not looking for people who have no knowledge whatsoever of the case -- you're looking for people who can be impartial, who can decide a case solely on the basis of the evidence,” explained media lawyer Mark Bantey.
Lin Jun's murder and dismemberment triggered an international manhunt and an avalanche of media coverage.
One of the biggest manhunts in the history of the Montreal police force, it ended with Magnotta's arrest at a cafe in Berlin.
He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, and four other charges, including committing an indignity to a body.
Justice Cournoyer noted the extensive pre-trial publicity, denied the request to ban the publication of details concerning how Magnotta is being secured.
The judge told the court that instructions will be given to the jury to consider evidence only -- and "security measures will be irrelevant to their deliberations."
“The Supreme Court of Canada has been very clear that the person requesting the ban has the burden of proof and the judge concluded there was no evidence to justify a publication ban,” said Bantey.
Magnotta's legal proceedings are currently in the evidence disclosure phase, with his trial expected to begin in September 2014.