TORONTO - Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin will investigate how a wealthy former Toronto police officer was able to qualify for legal aid and then run up an estimated $1-million bill during a drawn-out legal process that was described as a "freak show,'' Marin's office said Tuesday.

Opposition critics have been calling for an inquiry into why the public was saddled with a massive legal bill to defend Richard Wills, a one-time self-described millionaire who was convicted last week of killing his mistress.

Deputy ombudsman Barbara Finlay said the investigation into Legal Aid Ontario's role in funding Wills's defence will ensure public confidence in the legal-aid system isn't shaken.

"This was a case where the ombudsman felt there was such huge public interest that we weren't going to wait until we had accumulated a number of complaints,'' she said.

"The matter was so serious from the face of it that it really cried out for independent third-party scrutiny.''

The case was described by some as a "freak show'' due to Wills's bizarre and often disruptive behaviour in court. The ex-cop went through a revolving door of lawyers and regularly insulted them and the presiding judge, occasionally using racist and sexist obscenities.

Wills, 50, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2002 death of Linda Mariani, 40, whose remains were found in a garbage bin stored behind a wall in the basement of his home in Richmond Hill, Ont., north of Toronto.

The legal tab, which is estimated at more than $1 million, includes more than $800,000 in fees billed by defence lawyers to the province as of June 14.

New Democrat Leader Howard Hampton applauded the investigation and said the public deserves to know how the system bungled the case.

"This is a serious issue,'' Hampton said. "This guy we're told had a million and a half dollars of personal assets, he disposed of his assets, and then he says the taxpayers have to pay the legal bill. To me there's something awfully wrong here.''

Progressive Conservative critic Bob Runciman also said it's a good thing the ombudsman is getting involved because it appears Legal Aid Ontario has been plagued by "systemic failures.''

"I'm heartened by it,'' Runciman said. "I applaud Mr. Marin for taking this on. I think it gives some measure of comfort to people.''

Attorney General Chris Bentley said Monday a new protocol between the government and Legal Aid Ontario is being expedited to improve access to justice.

He also said he would meet with Michael Trebilcock, who is leading a review of Ontario's legal-aid system.

But Hampton was unimpressed by those commitments and said they will do little to change a broken system.

"It's a typical McGuinty government public-relations gesture,'' Hampton said.

"Avoid the substance of the issue, try to pretend there's nothing seriously wrong and try to get the issue off the public radar screen.''