THUNDER BAY — A sentencing hearing on submissions for a Thunder Bay man convicted of manslaughter in the 2017 death of an Indigenous woman has been pushed back to Feb. 17.
Brayden Bushby, 21, of Thunder Bay was found guilty on one count of manslaughter in connection with Barbara Kentner’s death after he threw a metal trailer hitch at her abdomen from a moving vehicle in January 2017.
Kentner suffered a perforated bowel as a result of being hit and died months later. A post-mortem examination determined her death was caused by complications arising from the blunt force injury to her abdomen.
Bushby was scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 9 for sentencing submissions. At a case conference held virtually on Tuesday, Feb. 2, Justice Helen Pierce informed crown and defence counsel the proceeding could now take place at the Thunder Bay Courthouse on Brodie Street.
Bushby's trial took place over four days last November from the former Superior Court of Justice, now a hotel, on Camelot Street.
The courthouse has been closed since a fire damaged part of the building in October 2020. On Monday, Feb. 1, a spokesperson with the Ministry of the Attorney General announced the courthouse would be reopening mid-February to resume back to normal operations.
“Given that we are so close to having access to the Brodie Street courthouse which is more space, my preference would be to delay the hearing even slightly so that we can make use of that facility to accommodate those who are most closely connected with the trial and members of the community and the press who also have an interest,” Pierce said.
There will also be opportunity to use more than one courtroom at the Brodie Street location so others can watch the hearing on screens from other rooms remotely, Pierce added.
Lawyers will still appear before Justice Pierce on Feb. 9 for a virtual voir dire to determine the admissibility of some documents prepared for Bushby's sentencing hearing at 10 a.m.
