A man who pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Marlene Bird now says he doesn’t believe he committed the crime.

Leslie Black, who pleaded guilty to attempted murder in April of last year, was in a Prince Albert court Wednesday attempting to change his plea.

He testified he doesn’t believe he’s guilty. He said he failed to tell his lawyer he believes he’s innocent of the charges laid against him following the attack on Bird.

Black was charged with aggravated sexual assault and attempted murder after Bird was found in a downtown Prince Albert parking lot on June 1, 2014. She had been viciously beaten and set on fire, and was barely conscious when she was found.

She suffered third-degree burns and was so badly wounded that both her legs required amputation. Half of her forehead down to her chin was lacerated.

Black told court he pleaded guilty to attempted murder in exchange for a dropped aggravated sexual assault charge. He said he signed the statement of facts to “get it over with.”

He would have never pleaded guilty if he knew the Crown might apply for dangerous offender status, he said.

His former lawyer, Thomas Adam Masiowski, testified Black was receiving death threats in Prince Albert. He was worried a sexual assault charge could be a problem for Black if he ended up in the penitentiary.

He also said he didn’t believe prosecutors would win dangerous offender status.

Defence lawyer Brent Little challenged Masiowski’s reasoning regarding dangerous offender status and questioned whether Masiowski properly explained the possible legal outcomes of the case to Black.

Black had a childlike quality, Masiowski said. He struggled to understand complicated legal concepts.

A decision on the hearing — referred to as an expungement hearing — is not expected until May 12 when both the Crown and defence are scheduled back in court.

--- CTV’s Jules Knox was in court for Black’s expungement hearing. Read her live coverage below: