The trial of two men charged with manslaughter in relation to a downtown Kelowna killing on Canada Day in 2018 has been postponed until July.
Noah Vaten and Nathan Truant are accused of being part of a group that chased and beat Esa Carriere near the Queensway Transit Exchange on July 1, 2018, with the Crown alleging Vaten dealt the fatal stab to Carriere’s heart.
The two had been on trial through late February and early March, with the matter initially expected to conclude this month. Now, the trial’s final two days have been scheduled for July 26 and 27, more than three years after Carriere’s death.
This means the trial will conclude almost exactly 30 months after Vaten and Truant were charged on Jan. 26, 2019. A Supreme Court of Canada decision often referred to as the Jordan ruling found cases in superior courts in Canada must be heard within 30 months, barring extenuating circumstances.
The trial was delayed as former Crown prosecutor Martin Nadon has been appointed a BC Provincial Court judge, so a new lawyer will take over the case for the Crown when the trial resumes.
READ MORE: Accused Kelowna killer ‘blacked out’ on cocaine, kicked cop shop window looking for help
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