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The trial of murder suspect Justin Paul Bennett had to be adjourned Friday because the accused has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
During a telephone appearance in Calgary Court of Queen’s Bench, Bennett told defence lawyer Allan Fay he has tested positive after an infected inmate was placed with him and other healthy prisoners in a cell.
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Outside court, Fay said he was not surprised that happened considering he’d heard similar allegations from other clients.
Posted: Dec 18, 2020 12:00 PM MT | Last Updated: December 18, 2020
Justin Bennett, left, is on trial for second-degree murder in the Oct. 5, 2017, death of Ivy Wick, right, who was the daughter of his then-girlfriend Helen Wordsworth. Bennett says he s been diagnosed with COVID-19, which has delayed his trial. (Facebook, gofundme.com)
A murder trial has been derailed after staff at the Calgary Remand Centre triple-bunked inmates, mixing healthy and sick prisoners and causing the accused killer to contract COVID, according to the inmate.
Closing arguments were to take place Friday in Justin Bennett s second-degree murder trial, but to the surprise of lawyers and the judge, he was not brought to court due to the outbreak at the remand centre.