Girl’s murder trial delayed

Charged in killing of entire family

The Medicine Hat girl charged with murdering her entire family won’t go to trial next month, her lawyer said yesterday.

Defence counsel Tim Foster told the Sun a re-election will officially be filed in Medicine Hat provincial court today asking his client face a jury trial.

The girl, 12 at the time, was charged last April, with three counts of first-degree murder in the slaying of her parents and younger brother.

The couple’s bodies and that of their eight-year-old son were found April 23, after a friend of the boy noticed something amiss.

The girl, who is now 13, was arrested along with 23-year-old Jeremy Steinke, the day after the slayings in Leader, Sask.

Steinke is set to face a preliminary inquiry in March.

Foster said the 2 1/2 weeks which were set aside for his client to stand trial in youth court won’t go to waste.

“The dates previously scheduled for trial will be used for a preliminary hearing and the re-election is to judge and jury,” the Calgary lawyer said.

Foster said as a result it will be months before his client stands trial.

“We’re hoping June,” he said.

“If she’s committed to stand trial we would anticipate it would be some time this summer.”

Because she is charged with murder, Foster’s client is entitled to a jury trial in Court of Queen’s Bench, even though she can’t be sentenced as an adult.

She would face a 10-year sentence of which no more than six can be in custody if convicted.

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