TORONTO — The trial of two teen girls accused in the death of a homeless Toronto man is expected to continue today with more security video of the night of the incident.
The two girls are among eight charged in the death of Kenneth Lee, who court heard died on Dec. 18, 2022 after he was beaten and stabbed at a downtown Toronto parkette.
The girls, who were 14 and 16 at the time, have pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.
The younger girl pleaded guilty through her lawyer to the lesser charge of manslaughter as the trial began Monday, but the plea was rejected by the Crown.
Prosecutors allege she was the one responsible for the injury that led to Lee's death.
On Monday, court watched security footage that showed a group violently swarm Lee moments after crossing paths with him at the parkette.
Court has heard eight girls were arrested and charged in the hours after his death.
Last year, three of the eight pleaded guilty to manslaughter and one to assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon. Those four have been sentenced to probation with conditions.
The trial that began Monday is taking place before a judge alone and is expected to last roughly two weeks.
The remaining two girls are set to face trial by jury in May on charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter, respectively. The case was split into two trials for scheduling reasons.
None of the teens can be identified because they were minors at the time of the incident.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2025.
The Canadian Press
