Trial of Toronto van attack suspect Alek Minassian to be heard by judge alone
Minassian faces 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder
The trial of the man accused of killing 10 people and injuring 16 others as he drove a van onto a Toronto sidewalk more than a year ago will be heard by a judge alone.
Alek Minassian, of Richmond Hill, Ont., is charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder in the attack, which occurred in the early afternoon hours of April 23, 2018.
Minassian appeared pale and gaunt during a brief court appearance on Wednesday before Justice Anne Molloy. Minassian's lawyer, Boris Bytensky, requested the judge-alone trial during Wednesday's proceedings, and the Crown did not object.
Also on Wednesday, Bytensky withdrew a motion to move the trial to another location, citing concerns about whether his client could get a fair trial in Toronto.
The trial is scheduled for February 2020.
"As the result of the consent of all parties to proceed without a jury, there is no need to move the case from Toronto and the case can proceed here," Bytensky told CBC Toronto after Wednesday's proceedings.