A man who was found not guilty of murder in late 2016 now faces more than a dozen charges, including attempted murder after allegedly trying to kill his wife.

Raymond Stacey, 26, appeared in provincial court Monday after being arrested in Paradise Saturday afternoon, and will be back in court May 16.

According to the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, officers were called to an assault around 1 p.m. on Saturday.

When they arrived, the suspect jumped into a parked car and tried to drive off with a woman still in the passenger seat. He then crashed the vehicle in a parking lot, according to police.

It's alleged Stacey then tried to run away but was followed by a witness and arrested by police minutes later.

Police said Stacey's wife was taken to hospital for treatment. The female passenger was taken to hospital as a precaution.

In addition to attempted murder, Stacey is facing more than a dozen charges including forcible confinement and aggravated assault.

Stacey was found not guilty of murder in the 2015 death of co-worker Clifford Comerford, in a van in Mount Pearl. Both had worked as chicken catchers on the outskirts of St. John's.

Stacey was also arrested in August after allegedly robbing a woman in Mount Pearl.

Harsh criticism from Comerford family

Comerford's brother Trent Comerford was in the courtroom Monday, and said he planned to be there as this case unfolded.

"He got away with murder," Comerford told reporters outside court.

"We knew that he was guilty and we said it was only a matter of time that he was going to try to kill somebody again and we weren't wrong."

Trent Comerford, brother of Clifford Comerford, who was killed in 2015, speaks to reporters outside court Monday. A jury found Stacey not guilty of murder in that case. (Glenn Payette/CBC)

"Thank God this family never had to go through the full brunt of what we had to go through ... and we will be there with that family and sitting in the courtroom with them, any time that we can," Comerford said.

But the lawyer who represented Stacey at that trial said the jury accepted the evidence that Stacey was defending himself.

"Mr. Stacey had a fair trial. He was found not guilty by a jury and the Comerford grief is not going to change that," said Bob Buckingham.

"Blood is thicker than water and they have to think their brother did no wrong and there's just no way of dealing with that. That's why we don't have trial by family."

Buckingham said Stacey, who is presumed to be innocent of the new charges, has asked him to be his lawyer once again, and he will be if the Legal Aid Commission agrees.