The trial of an individual from the Toronto area facing 14 murder charges, with claims of distributing a harmful substance to individuals contemplating suicide, has been postponed until the spring, according to information obtained by CBC News. Kenneth Law, aged 60, was supposed to face trial by jury last month in Newmarket, Ont., but the proceedings have been rescheduled twice. During a private meeting on Wednesday between Law’s legal team, Crown prosecutors, and Ontario Superior Court Justice Michelle Fuerst via video conference, the families of the alleged victims were notified that the trial is now slated to commence in April 2026.
Law is accused of 14 counts of first-degree murder and 14 counts of counseling or aiding suicide in connection to 14 deaths in various cities across Ontario, including Toronto, London, and Thunder Bay. The delays are attributed to an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada in a different case that could impact the murder charges leveled against Law. The Crown is challenging a ruling by the top court in Ontario that implies an individual may only be responsible for murder if they supplied the lethal substance to someone who died by suicide and “coerced the victim’s free will in selecting suicide.”
Law has refuted any wrongdoing, with his attorney, Matthew Gourlay from Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP, stating that Law intends to plead not guilty. Law is expected to virtually appear in a Newmarket court next week from jail, where he has been held since his arrest at his residence in Mississauga in May 2023. Law was accused by Peel Regional Police of running online platforms selling a lawful but potentially fatal substance and other items related to self-harm.
The families of Jeshennia Bedoya Lopez, Ashtyn Prosser, and Stephen Mitchell Jr., aged 18, 19, and 21 respectively, have identified them as alleged victims in Ontario. Authorities have revealed that the other deceased individuals were between 16 and 36 years old. Law’s case has attracted global attention, with reports indicating that he dispatched about 1,200 packages to customers in 40 countries before his websites were closed. Investigations by CBC News have linked Law’s merchandise to 133 deaths worldwide, including in the U.S., Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, New Zealand, and several Canadian provinces. Authorities in the U.K. have suggested that Law might have supplied nearly 99 individuals with products facilitating suicide in the country.