Three weeks have been set aside for a preliminary hearing for Steven Jones, the man facing charges of murder and attempted murder in two high-profile incidents late last summer.
Jones has been in custody at the Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre since his arrest on Sept. 7 near the scene of a boardwalk stabbing that left Liam Frenette with life-threatening injuries. Later that same day, Sault Police attended the scene of a suspicious death on John Street, where 22-year-old Taylor Marshall was found dead in her apartment.
In a Sault Ste. Marie courtroom on Thursday, defence lawyer Rebecca Silver for Toronto-based Furgiuele Law recited the dates for the next stages of the case to Justice of the Peace Jill Morris.
Silver said a confirmation hearing has been set for Sept. 10. The preliminary hearing will begin the week of Oct. 21 to 25, continue Oct. 28 to Nov. 1 and conclude the week of Nov. 25 to 29.
A preliminary hearing is held for indictable offences and offers the Crown an opportunity to prove it has the evidence to move forward with a trial. If not, the charges against an accused can be dropped.
Silver told Morris she is requesting an additional appearance in video remand court on April 18 as the defence is awaiting some disclosure form the Crown.
In a press conference held Sept. 14, then-Inspector Brent Duguay of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service told media that investigators linked Jones to the murder when they discovered evidence — after his arrest at the boardwalk — that placed him "at or near" the John Street homicide scene. Earlier this year, Duguay was sworn in as deputy chief of the department.