EDMONTON - The judge in the Travis Vader murder case has decided against allowing a camera in the courtroom for a mistrial hearing.

Justice Denny Thomas says he made his decision because he might not render a ruling on the mistrial application on Monday.

In September, cameras were in court in Edmonton when Thomas found Vader guilty of second-degree murder in the 2010 deaths of seniors Lyle and Marie McCann of St. Albert.

But Thomas used a section of the Criminal Code that had been ruled unconstitutional to find Vader guilty, prompting the defence to call for a mistrial.

The defence and Crown have already filed written submissions in the mistrial application, but they plan to make oral arguments on Monday.

The McCanns, in their late 70s, disappeared after setting out on a camping trip from their Edmonton-area home to British Columbia.

Thomas said in his verdict that Vader was a desperate drug addict who came across the couple in their motorhome and shot them during a robbery.

(CHED, The Canadian Press)