Kelowna trial for three men accused of killing gang leader ordered to proceed

KELOWNA – The trial for three men accused of killing a gang leader in Kelowna six years ago will continue.

Defence lawyers for Jason McBride, Michael Jones and Jujhar Singh Khun-Khun had applied for a stay of proceedings based on long delays in getting the trial to court.

Justice Allan Betton rejected the application in a decision released Monday, but did not give reasons for his ruling, saying he needs more time to write them.

Betton says the written reasons will be released at a later, unspecified date.

The defence application stems from a Supreme Court of Canada ruling that said Superior Court trials should be wrapped up in 30 months from when charges were laid.

The three men were arrested in February 2013 and their trial on first-degree murder charges was set to start in April 2016, but was delayed several times.

The trial has already heard from witnesses who described Red Scorpion leader Jonathan Bacon dying in a hail of gunfire when another vehicle pulled up beside his Porsche SUV and men inside opened fire.

Three other people were injured, including a woman who was left paralysed.

In opening statements, the Crown lawyer said the slaying was a revenge killing by members of a rival gang.