Judicial pre-trial scheduled for accused in fatal London, Ont. truck attack
CBC
Nathaniel Veltman made a brief court appearance via video Wednesday morning as a judicial pre-trial was scheduled for next month.
Veltman, 20, has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and terrorism in the hit-and-run attack on a Muslim family out for an evening walk in June.
Five members of the Afzaal family were struck on June 6. Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, their daughter Yumna Afzaal, 15, and Salman's mother, Talat Afzaal, 74, were killed. The youngest member of the family survived, and has since been released by hospital.
Veltman appeared in a London, Ont., court over Zoom from the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre, wearing an orange t-shirt and pants and blue surgical mask. He spoke only to state his name, date of birth and the name of his lawyer, Christopher Hicks.
An articling student appearing on behalf of Hicks told the court a Crown pre-trial was held yesterday.
In the judicial pre-trial set for Dec. 15, Hicks, the Crown, the police officer in charge of the case, and a judge will meet to discuss issues in the case.
Veltman is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. Prosecutors consider the attack on the Afzaal family an act of terrorism, motivated by anti-Muslim hate.
A publication ban on evidence in the case remains in effect.
This First Person column is the experience of Shannon Flaman, who lives in Red Deer, Alta. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
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