Trial for Toronto van attack suspect to be conducted over Zoom, judge says

TORONTO — A trial for the man who killed 10 people when he drove a van down a busy Toronto sidewalk will be conducted by videoconference.

Alek Minassian faces 10 charges of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder in connection with the incident on April 23, 2018.

Justice Anne Molloy says the trial will occur over Zoom and will begin on Nov. 10.

The trial was set to begin on Nov. 9, but Molloy says court will use that day for a test run to ensure the technology is working properly.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

A recent decision by the Superior Court of Ontario’s chief justice limits the number of people in a physical courtroom to 10 due to the pandemic.

In early March, Minassian admitted in court to planning and carrying out the attack. The judge has said the case will turn on Minassian’s state of mind at the time of the attack, not whether he did it.

6:52 What insight do we get from Alek Minassian’s police interrogation?

• What insight do we get from Alek Minassian’s police interrogation?
• Van attack suspect Alek Minassian to be tried by judge alone in Toronto
• Investigators get search warrant to enter home of van attack suspect Alek Minassian
• More details known about Toronto van attack suspect Alek Minassian
• ‘He’d act like a cat’: high school classmate of Alek Minassian recounts
• Officer praised for arrest of Toronto van attack suspect Alek Minassian
• Toronto police say Alek Minassian not known to them, not in files at this time
• Alek Minassian charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder, 13 counts of attempted murder

Previous Video

Next Video