More delay in Bacon trial

Photo: Contributed

Jonathan Bacon was shot and killed in Kelowna in August 2011.

Evidence submissions in the Kelowna trial of three men accused of murdering gangster Jonathan Bacon in 2011 have been pushed back again.

Michael Jones, Jason McBride and Jujhar Khun-Khun have remained in custody since their arrests in February 2013, facing charges of murder and attempted murder for the brazen midday shootout in front of The Grand hotel on a sunny August day.

Red Scorpions leader Jonathan Bacon was left dead, and Hells Angel Larry Amero and Independent Soldier James Riach, along with Leah Hadden-Watts and Lyndsey Black, were injured.

Eighteen months later, the three accused were arrested. After four years and several delays, the three men's trial officially began on May 15, with the defence applying to have all charges dropped due to the length of time the accused have waited.

Since the outset of the trial, the defence has argued that the more than four-year delay can be largely attributed to the Crown.

On Tuesday, Jones and McBride sat in the accused box dressed in suits, while Khun-Khun was in court in red prison-issued garb. Last week, Khun-Khun watched the proceedings through a video feed from prison, due to health complications after a recent surgery, which stem from attempts on his life in 2011 and 2013.

Defence argued Tuesday that the Crown took too long to provide their evidence to the defence, despite a court-ordered deadline of February 2015.

The hearing to determine if charges should be dropped is expected to wrap up this week. Crown is expected to begin calling evidence in the trial next week.