Loretta Saunders's father can't 'handle' being in courtroom

The father of Loretta Saunders,the Halifax student whose slaying renewed calls for a national inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women,says he can't bear to be in court as the case against her accused killers is outlined this week in Halifax.

Victoria Henneberry, 28,and Blake Leggette, 25, of Halifax are charged with first-degree murder in the death of the 26-year-old Saint Mary's University student.

They're scheduled to be in Halifax provincial court all week for theirpreliminary hearings.

"I'm not planning on going in there at all, because[of]what they'll be saying. It's very hard and stressful to hear [about my] daughter being murdered," said Clayton Saunders. "I wouldn't be able to handle it I don't think."

He said he'll only attend when his familytestifies.

"It's really unreal. We don't know what they're going to ask or say. It's stressful then again it might do a lot of good."

Saundersdisappeared from Halifax on Feb. 13.

HenneberryandLeggette had been subletting Saunders'sapartment inCowieHill.

They werearrested in Ontario with her carfive days after she disappeared.

The 26-year-old woman's body was later found in a wooded area off the Trans-Canada Highway in New Brunswick on Feb. 26.

On Monday, defence lawyers forHenneberryandLeggettemade the standard request for a publication ban, which was granted.

Publication bans protect thesuspects'right to a fair trial.Preliminary hearingsdetermine whether there is enough evidence to require a trial.

The preliminary hearings are set for July 21 to 25 and, if necessary, Aug. 1.

Saunders was Inuk and her homicide sparked called for a public inquiry.

At the time of her disappearance, Saunderswas doing herthesis on missing and murdered aboriginal women.