![['This photo of Joel Clow that was entered into evidence in his first-degree murder trial was taken at the RCMP detachment in Montague after his arrest in connection with the investigation into Traci Lynch’s death on July 24, 2015. \n']](https://saltwire.imgix.net/tg-a00-25052017-joelclow_20170525181757.jpg?cs=srgb&fit=crop&h=568&w=847&dpr=1&auto=format%2Ccompress%2Cenhance)
A P.E.I. man who is serving a life sentence for second-degree murder will have a legal aid lawyer representing him on his appeal of the conviction and his sentence.
In September, a P.E.I. Supreme Court judge found Joel Lawrence Clow guilty and sentenced him to a life sentence with no chance of parole for 17 years after he killed Traci Lynch in 2015 in Pleasant Grove.
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Clow sought counsel through legal aid for the appeal, but was initially told it wouldn’t represent him unless the court ordered it.
A notice of appointment of solicitor filed with the P.E.I. Court of Appeal on Jan. 16 showed Clow appointed legal aid director Kent Brown as solicitor of record.
Lynch died on July 24, 2015, of strangulation and a blunt-force blow to the head.
Clow acknowledged his actions were responsible for Lynch’s death, but he denied intending to kill her.
He is appealing his conviction and sentence on several grounds, including saying he didn’t receive a fair trial.
Crown attorney Cyndria Wedge filed a cross-appeal seeking a first-degree murder conviction with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Wedge also sought to have the court assign counsel to Clow because she believed it was in the interests of justice.
Clow said in an affidavit that he needed a lawyer because he is illiterate and has difficulty understanding written material.
A motion hearing dealing with the assignment of counsel was scheduled for Jan. 17 but did not go ahead.
