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Trial for Thunder Bay man accused in 2017 death of Indigenous woman begins

Brayden Bushby is accused in the 2017 death of 34-year-old Indigenous woman, Barbara Kentner. 
Brayden Bushby Trial
Brayden Bushby arrives at the Courthouse Hotel on Monday, Nov. 2, 2020 for the start of his manslaughter trial in the death of Barbara Kentner. (Cory Nordstrom, Thunder Bay Television)

THUNDER BAY —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On Monday, Crown attorney Andrew Sadler said the charge of second-degree murder has been withdrawn.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.

More to come...

 

 

 



Karen Edwards

About the Author: Karen Edwards

Karen Edwards reports on court and crime under the Local Journalism initiative, which is funded by the Government of Canada.
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