Tomorrow will be an especially painful day for David Middleton -- it marks a year since his daughter Rebecca met her death while vacationing in Bermuda.

And while Bermudians will have an opportunity to reflect on the theme of violence at a noontime rally on the steps of City Hall that is planned for Thursday, the Middletons will mark the day quietly and out of the public eye.

"We don't have anything special planned for July 3,'' Mr. Middleton told The Royal Gazette in an interview from Belleville, the family's home 80 miles east of Toronto. "We will come together as a family.

"I have a lot of time for the organisers. I heard about it and it is very encouraging.

"I am sure the people of Bermuda are as shocked as we are about this whole thing and it is nice to see that they are trying to do something about it.'' A trial date is yet to be fixed for Justis Smith who is alleged to have committed the premeditated murder of 17-year-old Rebecca Middleton on a dark stretch of road on Ferry Reach last summer.

He appeared briefly for mention in Supreme Court yesterday during the monthly arraignment session before Chief Justice Austin Ward.

Yesterday Attorney General Elliott Mottley, who will lead the prosecution, said he was not in a position to say anything about the case.

"I am not in a position to comment about the trial date,'' he said. "There is nothing to report.'' Mr. Middleton said it was frustrating that Smith's trial had not commenced.

"Nothing has really changed as far as we are concerned. We are just looking to have the trial and get this thing settled. Everyone is managing to survive but Becky's death is one of those things that takes away from your life.

"We thought it would be all over by now. We would rather not have this kind of thing going on but we want to see this thing done right.'' If convicted, Smith, 17, of Deep Dale Road in Pembroke, could face the death penalty.

He was charged along with Kirk Orlando Mundy, 21, who later pleaded guilty to being an accomplice after the fact. Mundy received a five-year jail sentence last fall.

Mundy is expected to testify at Smith's trial.

Meanwhile college student Daina Casling has organised the lunchtime rally on the July 3 anniversary of Ms Middleton's death.

And poems, music and personal testimony will be all part of the mix at City Hall for the event that the Coalition for the Protection of Children, the Institute for Child & Family Health, the Physical Abuse Centre, and the Women's Resource Centre will be sponsoring.

The lunchtime rally is scheduled to take place at City Hall between noon and 2 p.m.

For more information about the day against violence call 295-1150.

CLUB CLB