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The court ordered most of the accused to stand trial on drug, firearms, and criminal organization charges following a preliminary inquiry.
This is a decision on committal to trial following a lengthy preliminary inquiry into Project Corral, an investigation by the Integrated Guns and Gangs Task Force into alleged criminal organizations in northwest Toronto.
The Crown sought committal on 71 charges arising from evidence heard at the preliminary inquiry, including charges of trafficking in cocaine, marijuana, firearms and ammunition, conspiracy, counselling, obstruction of justice, and criminal organization offences.
The court analyzed voice identification evidence from intercepted communications, the meaning of coded language used by the accused, and the elements of possession, trafficking, conspiracy, and criminal organization offences.
The court ordered most accused to stand trial on the majority of charges, with some discharges on specific counts.
Murder conviction and sentence appeal dismissed.
The appellant appealed a murder conviction and sentence, advancing grounds including unreasonable verdict, the availability of second degree murder, alleged errors in the trial judge's answers to jury questions, the explanation of the consequences of a not criminally responsible verdict, and sentence.
The court held there was evidence on which the jury could reject the defence of not criminally responsible and find the requisite intent for murder.
It further held that the trial judge properly instructed the jury and appropriately answered the jury's questions, and that the explanation of the consequences of a not criminally responsible verdict accorded with the authorities.
The request for a constitutional exemption from the minimum life sentence without parole eligibility for ten years was rejected.
The appeal from conviction and sentence was dismissed.
