Andrew Berry, the Oak Bay father charged with in the deaths of his two daughters found dead in his apartment on Christmas Day, had a court appearance this morning (March 15) in which a preliminary hearing date was expected to be set.
Instead, as Andrew Berry sat motionless and listened by video appearance from prison, Crown prosecutor Patrick Weir asked for a focus hearing to take place before a preliminary hearing date is set.
A focus hearing is held when a preliminary hearing is expected to run longer than three days due to the volume of witnesses, evidence, etc.. The focus hearing clarifies and streamlines what will be brought forward in the preliminary hearing to promote a fair and expeditious hearing.
The judge set the focus hearing for March 29 at 9 a.m.
Crown prosecutor Patrick Weir said a focus hearing is required as the case would need more than three days in preliminary hearing. March.29 at 9 a.m. has been set for focus hearing for Andrew Berry, Oak Bay father charged in the deaths of his two daughters on Christmas Day
B次元官网网址� Oak Bay B次元官网网址 (@OakBayB次元官网网址)
In the preliminary inquiry that would follow the focus hearing, a judge reviews evidence to determine whether the case should go on to trial.
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On Christmas Day, Chloe, 6, and Aubrey Berry, 4, were in the care of their father at his apartment on the corner of Beach Drive and Goodwin Street in Oak Bay, B.C.. The children were supposed to go home to their motherB次元官网网址檚 house on Christmas afternoon but didnB次元官网网址檛 arrive. Their mother Sarah Cotton contacted the Oak Bay police who responded to BerryB次元官网网址檚 apartment and found the bodies of the two girls.
Andrew Berry was found in the apartment with them, suffering from injuries, and was taken to the hospital. Berry was arrested and charged upon release from the hospital.
In the wake of the of Chloe and Aubrey Berry, criticism has arisen around to grant the girlsB次元官网网址� father the right to have the girls visit him on Christmas Eve.
Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson in defence of Gray. He reportedly didnB次元官网网址檛 think evidence brought before the judge in the 2016 divorce proceedings could have suggested the father was likely to commit the crime B次元官网网址� if in fact he did. The criticism of the judge that followed the tragedy is unfair in his opinion.
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