Court to wait longer to sentence Toronto van attacker Alek Minassian
The man who deliberately killed 11 people by driving a van down a Toronto sidewalk will have his sentencing adjourned for several months.
Ontario's Superior Court of Justice says Tuesday's scheduled appearance for Alek Minassian will set a new date for the sentencing as it awaits a key Supreme Court of Canada decision in another case.
Justice Anne Molloy found Minassian guilty of 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder last year for his actions on April 23, 2018.
The court says it will wait until the Supreme Court hears an appeal in the Alexander Bissonnette case about sentencing rules on multiple murders that allow sentences to be consecutive.
The Quebec Court of Appeal overturned the 40-year period of parole ineligibility for Bissonnette, who pleaded guilty to six counts of first-degree murder after killing six people at a Quebec City mosque in 2017.
The Crown appealed to the Supreme Court after the Appeal Court found the consecutive sentencing provision to be unconstitutional.
The court says Minassian will next appear in court on April 5.
The prosecution in the Minassian case previously told court the victims and their families also want to be able to read their victim impact statements in person, which has not been possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While Minassian was found guilty of 10 first-degree murders, another victim, Amaresh Tesfamariam, died a few months ago from injuries sustained in the attack years prior.
Tesfamariam was paralyzed from the neck down and never left hospital after being hit by Minassian.
Toronto police, the coroner and Tesfamariam's family consider her death to be a homicide.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 10, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW She developed a passion for genealogy while finding her roots. Now she helps others find their own
Lauren Robilliard always knew she was adopted. As the B.C. native grew older, she developed a passion for genealogy, tracing her roots and paving the way for a career to help others find their own.
Papua New Guinea says landslide buried more than 2,000 people
A Papua New Guinea government official has told the United Nations more than 2,000 people were believed to have been buried alive by Friday's landslide and has formally asked for international help.
NEW A cross-country look at beer and wine in convenience stores
By Labour Day weekend, Ontarians of legal drinking age could snag a six-pack at their local convenience store on the way to the cottage. But what are alcohol sales like across the country? Here's what we know.
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
Are you a loud snorer? You could have sleep apnea
You'll have a lot more energy throughout the day if you get a good night's sleep, but not everyone does due to a medical condition.
'We were vetted': Sex-ed organization 'disappointed' over Higgs' comments
The head of a Quebec-based sexual and reproductive health organization says she's disappointed New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has deemed presentations she did in the province last week inappropriate.
Cyclone floods coastal villages, blows away thatched roofs and cuts power in Bangladesh and India
A cyclone flooded coastal villages, blew away thatched roofs and left hundreds of thousands of people without power Monday in southern Bangladesh and eastern India. At least seven deaths were reported.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
DEVELOPING Indigo Books & Music shareholders to vote on privatization sale
Indigo Books & Music Inc. shareholders are expected to vote this morning on whether the retailer should accept a sweetened offer from a holding company that plans to take the bookstore chain private.