Accused Kelowna wife killer headed straight to trial

Straight to trial for Plover

Photo: Contributed

James Plover was arrested near Lake Country shortly after Bailey McCourt was fatally attacked in Kelowna.

The Kelowna man charged with the high profile murder of his estranged wife will go to trial without a preliminary inquiry.

James Edward Plover on Thursday waived his right to a preliminary inquiry, meaning he will proceed straight to supreme court for a trial on first degree murder, the BC Prosecution Service confirmed.

Waiving a right to a preliminary inquiry means Plover has voluntarily given up the right to an early court proceeding where the Crown must show enough evidence exists to justify a trial. By moving directly to trial, the case should proceed more quickly.

Plover’s next appearance is March 2, to schedule trial dates.

Plover was convicted of assault July 4, 2025, and out on bail awaiting sentencing when he is alleged to have attacked his estranged wife, Bailey McCourt and her friend Carrie Wiebe in a parking lot, near the office where she worked.

McCourt was taken to hospital and later died of her injuries.

Plover was initially charged with second-degree murder. Months later, the Crown upgraded the charge to first-degree murder and also charged him with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle resulting in bodily harm, relating to Wiebe’s alleged attack.

McCourt’s death has sparked a rallying cry for change.

Conservative MP for Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, Frank Caputo, tabled his private member Bill C-225, named Bailey’s Law.

It proposes several changes to the Criminal Code of Canada, including: making the killing of an intimate partner an automatic first-degree murder charge, empowering courts to hold individuals charged with domestic assault for up to seven days for a risk assessment if there are red flags, and changing bail rules for those with a previous domestic violence conviction.

"I do not know why we would prolong the current law of intimate partner violence, or the lack thereof, for another day,” Caputo said when introducing the bill.

“Why would we let the status quo exist for another day?"

Bill C-225 now moves to Parliament's Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, where MPs from all parties will hear from victims, stakeholders and experts. The committee was sitting on Thursday.