Police are seen near a damaged van in Toronto after it mounted a sidewalk and crashed into a number of pedestrians, on April 23, 2018.The Canadian Press
Lawyers say they are close to finalizing details that would allow a trial by Zoom for a man who killed 10 people when he drove a rental van down a busy Toronto sidewalk.
Alek Minassian faces 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder in connection with the April, 2018, incident.
He appeared by video during a virtual court hearing Thursday morning, when the prosecution and defence said they were sorting out the logistics of holding the trial by the video-conference software.
Justice Anne Molloy said she is holding another trial by Zoom at the moment that could be a blueprint for Mr. Minassian’s trial, which is set to begin Nov. 9.
A recent decision by the Superior Court of Ontario’s chief justice limits the number of people in a physical courtroom to 10 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Minassian’s trial by judge alone was set to begin on April 6, but was postponed because of the pandemic.
In early March, Mr. Minassian admitted in court to planning and carrying out the attack. The judge has said the case will turn on his state of mind at the time of the attack, not whether he did it.
Mr. Minassian will next appear in court on Oct. 28.
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