Brayden Bushby is accused in the 2017 death of 34-year-old Indigenous woman, Barbara Kentner.
The trial for a Thunder Bay man accused in the 2017 death of an Indigenous woman involving a trailer hitch has begun.
On Monday, Nov. 2, Brayden Bushby sat before Justice Helen M. Pierce as his judge-only manslaughter trial got underway. Bushby entered a plea of not guilty to one count of manslaughter and guilty to one count of aggravated assault.
It is alleged on the night of Jan. 29, 2017, Bushby, then 18, threw a metal trailer hitch from a moving vehicle that struck Kentner in the abdomen while she was walking in the Cameron Street area. In July 2017, Kentner died in hospital at the age of 34.
Bushby was originally charged with aggravated assault but the charges were upgraded to second-degree murder following a review of the case by the Crown, Thunder Bay police and the Coroner’s office in late 2017.
He was initially to stand trial for the second-degree murder charge in front of a judge and jury in early October, however, at a case conference hearing in September, the Crown announced a new indictment against Bushby charging him with aggravated assault and manslaughter.
On Monday, Crown attorney Andrew Sadler said the charge of second-degree murder has been withdrawn.
Bushby is represented by defence counsel George Joseph and Ryan Green.
Due to an electrical fire the Thunder Bay Courthouse located at 125 Brodie Street, the trial is taking place at the former Superior Court of Justice, now a hotel, on Camelot Street.
