Saskatoon

Preliminary hearing set for accused in Colten Boushie murder trial

A preliminary hearing has been set for 54-year-old Gerald Stanley, the man charged in the death of Colten Boushie.

Gerald Stanley, 54, has pleaded not guilty to 2nd-degree murder

Gerald Stanley being escorted into the Court of Queen's Bench in Battleford for a bail hearing last month. (Don Somers/CBC)

A preliminary hearing has been set for 54-year-old Gerald Stanley, the man charged in the death of Colten Boushie.

Stanley is accused of shooting and killing Boushie, 22, in a farmyard near Biggar, Sask. in August. At the time, RCMP said Boushie was in a car that drove onto the farmyard and a confrontation broke out.

Since Stanley's arrest, many First Nations people have called the event an example of Saskatchewan's racism towards Indigenous people.

Stanley has pleaded not guilty to second degree murder and was granted bail last month. During the bail hearing, more than 200 people rallied outside the courthouse during Stanley's appearances on Thursday, calling for "justice for Colten."

The preliminary hearing will be held at North Battleford Provincial court and will run for a week.

It starts Jan. 16, 2017.