A 14-year-old girl accused of fatally stabbing a homeless man in Toronto in 2022 was seen holding a sharp object in surveillance footage shown in court Tuesday. Two teens are on trial for second-degree murder in the death of Kenneth Lee. The younger girl initially attempted to plead guilty to manslaughter but the Crown rejected the plea.
A teen girl accused of fatally wounding a homeless Toronto man in a group attack two years ago was seen on surveillance footage holding a sharp object during the incident, prosecutors told an Ontario court Tuesday. Court has heard Kenneth Lee died in the early hours of December 18, 2022, after he was beaten and stabbed at a downtown Toronto parkette. Eight girls, between the ages of 13 and 16, were arrested and charged shortly after his death.
Two of them are currently on trial and have pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. The younger girl, who was 14 at the time of the incident, attempted to plead guilty through her lawyer to the lesser charge of manslaughter as the trial began Monday, but that plea was rejected by the Crown. The incident was captured on security video. In the footage, a group swarms Lee moments after crossing paths with him, with some appearing to punch, kick and swing bags or other objects at him as the fight peters out and erupts again in various areas of the parkette. The detective leading the investigation testified Tuesday that at one point, the youngest of the two girls on trial is seen holding an object in her right hand as she approaches Lee in the melee. Toronto police Det. Rodney Benson told the court he couldn't identify the item, but prosecutors allege the girl is holding a 'sharp object.' The Crown alleges that girl delivered the blow that led to Lee's death but has not yet specified when or with what. Earlier in the video, the girl appears to spit at Lee, then squats to pick up what Benson described as nail scissors off the ground. Two small pairs of scissors and a pair of tweezers were found on the girl when she was arrested hours later, the detective said. At another point in the video, the older of the two girls, who was 16 at the time, throws a traffic cone at Lee then picks it up and repeatedly swings it at him. A group of teens including the accused first gathered earlier in the evening at Toronto's Yorkdale mall, court heard Tuesday. Videos shot at the mall were found on the younger girl's cellphone and shown in court. Court also watched Tuesday video of the group on a bus in the hours leading up to the incident at the parkette. In that video, someone mentions going to the LCBO before the group gets off the bus. The trial is taking place before a judge alone and is expected to last roughly two weeks. Three other girls charged in Lee's death pleaded guilty last year to manslaughter and one to assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon. Those four have been sentenced to probation with conditions. The remaining two girls are set to face trial by jury in May on charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter, respectively. The case was split into two trials for scheduling reasons. None of the teens can be identified because they were minors at the time of the incident.
HOMELESSNESS CANADA MURDER TRIAL TEENAGE TORONTO
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Teen Girl Allegedly Inflicted Fatal Blow in Toronto Homeless Man AttackTwo teenage girls are on trial for the alleged second-degree murder of Kenneth Lee, a 59-year-old homeless man, who died after being beaten and stabbed in a downtown Toronto parkette in 2022. Prosecutors allege one of the girls delivered the fatal blow.
Read more »
Teen girls' murder trial watches video of alleged fatal swarming of Toronto manSurveillance video that shows a group violently swarming a homeless man moments after crossing paths with him in a downtown Toronto parkette was played in court Monday as the trial of two teens accused in his death began.
Read more »
Teen girls' murder trial watches video of alleged fatal swarming of Toronto manTORONTO — Surveillance video that shows a group violently swarming a homeless man moments after crossing paths with him in a downtown Toronto parkette was played in court Monday as the trial of two teens accused in his death began.
Read more »
Defensive-minded Raptors aim for sixth straight win against BullsToronto Raptors have won five straight for first time since March 24-April 1, 2022
Read more »
Toronto Public Health warns of possible measles exposure at Toronto Pearson AirportToronto health officials are warning that travellers at Toronto Pearson Airport Terminal 1 may have been exposed to measles this week.
Read more »
Toronto Teen Arrested in Hamilton Mall Jewelry Store RobberyA smash-and-grab robbery at Peoples Jewellers in Hamilton, Ontario, resulted in the arrest of a Toronto teenager. Three other suspects remain at large.
Read more »