A five-day preliminary hearing for a woman accused of beating another woman to death on the Granville strip will begin today.
Twenty-nine-year-old Samantha Doolan is charged with manslaughter after allegedly attacking Lauren McLellan outside Caprice nightclub last August.
Calling the incident a tragic set of circumstances, Vancouver police Const. Brian Montague said in 2016 the assault happened on the street after a very brief altercation between McLellan and Doolan inside the club. During the assault, Montague said McLellan “went to the ground” and then it allegedly continued until nightclub staff intervened.
Doolan, who was with another woman at the time, then allegedly fled the area on foot and about 30 minutes after the assault, the pair was located in Gastown and arrested by police.
McLellan, 28, was taken to hospital in critical condition suffering from head injuries. She did not survive and was pronounced dead the same day.
Details of what happened in court on Monday are protected under a publication ban. Doolan is out on bail and arrived at court with a few friends and family.
Two of McLellan’s friends are also in attendance. They paused numerous times to wipe away tears as details of the case were laid out.
It is still unclear at this time if this case will go to trial.
Meanwhile, there are growing concerns about increased violence on the Granville strip. BarWatch is pushing for stricter rules in the Granville district after two more separate stabbings over the weekend.
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