Primary Country (Mandatory)

United States

Other Country (Optional)

Set News Language for United States

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language[s] (Optional)
No other language available

Set News Language for World

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language(s) (Optional)

Set News Source for United States

Primary Source (Mandatory)
CNN
Other Source[s] (Optional)

Set News Source for World

Primary Source (Mandatory)
AajTak
Other Source(s) (Optional)
  • Countries
    • India
    • United States
    • Qatar
    • Germany
    • China
    • Canada
    • World
  • Categories
    • National
    • International
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Special
    • All Categories
  • Available Languages for United States
    • English
  • All Languages
    • English
    • Hindi
    • Arabic
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
  • Sources
    • India
      • AajTak
      • NDTV India
      • The Hindu
      • India Today
      • Zee News
      • NDTV
      • BBC
      • The Wire
      • News18
      • News 24
      • The Quint
      • ABP News
      • Zee News
      • News 24
    • United States
      • CNN
      • Fox News
      • Al Jazeera
      • CBSN
      • NY Post
      • Voice of America
      • The New York Times
      • HuffPost
      • ABC News
      • Newsy
    • Qatar
      • Al Jazeera
      • Al Arab
      • The Peninsula
      • Gulf Times
      • Al Sharq
      • Qatar Tribune
      • Al Raya
      • Lusail
    • Germany
      • DW
      • ZDF
      • ProSieben
      • RTL
      • n-tv
      • Die Welt
      • Süddeutsche Zeitung
      • Frankfurter Rundschau
    • China
      • China Daily
      • BBC
      • The New York Times
      • Voice of America
      • Beijing Daily
      • The Epoch Times
      • Ta Kung Pao
      • Xinmin Evening News
    • Canada
      • CBC
      • Radio-Canada
      • CTV
      • TVA Nouvelles
      • Le Journal de Montréal
      • Global News
      • BNN Bloomberg
      • Métro
Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G Buy Now
Carhartt Odessa Cap Buy Now
Rose Gold Mesh Women's Watch Buy Now
Short-Sleeve Pocket T-Shirt Buy Now
TEZO Men's Casual Active Tracksuits Buy Now
Water Proof Digital Timer Shower Clock for Bathroom Kitchen Buy Now
Luxury Big Face Watches for Men Buy Now
Satin Silk Pajama Set for Women Buy Now
VIZIO 32 inch D-Series Smart TV Buy Now
Women's Trendy Summer Cap Sleeve Tees Buy Now
COOFANDY Men's Linen Shirts Buy Now
Anne Klein Diamond Bangle Watch Buy Now
Short-Sleeve V-Neck T-Shirt Buy Now
Echo Dot (3rd Gen) Charcoal Buy Now
COOFANDY Men's Plaid Denim Shirt Buy Now
Anne Klein AK/3702 Watch Buy Now
Meaningful Beauty Lifting Eye Crème Buy Now
AUTOMET Long Sleeve Tee Buy Now
Kenneth Cole Reaction Chelsea Tote Buy Now
Men's Straight-Fit Pant Buy Now
MoreBack to News Headlines
Saint John man pleads guilty to 2nd-degree murder of toddler using a Ping-Pong ball

Saint John man pleads guilty to 2nd-degree murder of toddler using a Ping-Pong ball

CBC
Tuesday, March 28, 2023 7:37 AM GMT

On what was to be the first day of a five-week jury trial, Karrson Bennett changed his plea to guilty in the death of a Saint John toddler in September 2021. 

Bennett admitted he put a Ping-Pong ball in the child's mouth and intentionally caused the boy's death.

While the publication ban protecting the boy's identity remains in effect, the publication bans governing the details of the  court process Monday were lifted by Justice Kathryn Gregory of the Court of King's Bench. 

The day started with more than 100 prospective jurors gathered in two courtrooms of the fifth floor of the courthouse. Meanwhile, on the fourth floor, defence lawyer David Lutz told the court that he arrived that morning prepared to start a five-week jury trial. 

Lutz said he spoke to his client right away, and Bennett told him he wanted to plead guilty to second-degree murder. That began several hours of legal discussions that were covered by a publication ban for most of the day.

Prospective jurors were told that a "procedural matter" had to be dealt with, and Gregory said they were being sent home with an order to appear Tuesday morning ready to resume jury selection. 

Lutz submitted the appropriate paperwork to the court in order for Bennett to re-elect trial by a judge alone. The Crown consented to the application on the condition that Bennett admit that he intentionally caused the child's death.

Once the properly signed copies were submitted, Gregory consented to the re-election, accepted Bennett's guilty plea  and lifted the publication ban on the day's discussions. 

The court will now move into the sentencing phase.

Crown prosecutor Chris Ryan said the process should take five days but has to accommodate a witness with an inflexible schedule.

The sentencing hearing will start Wednesday and continue to Friday before a break until next Thursday, when a witness is expected to talk about the force needed to lodge a Ping-Pong ball into the airway of a toddler. 

Ryan also asked for victim impact statements from several members of the victim's family, including his mother, father and grandmother, while Lutz asked for a pre-sentence report for Bennett. 

Bennett was originally charged in September 2021 with criminal negligence causing death, but that was later changed to second-degree murder. He is also charged with breach of probation. 

Saint John police have said officers responded to a 911 call on Sept. 18, 2021, about an unconscious child at a residence. The child was eventually airlifted to the children's hospital in Halifax but died the next day.

Read full story on CBC
Share this story on:-
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running GamePlay Run 3, the ultimate space tunnel running game with 300+ challenging levels!Adv.
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing GameTraffic Jam 3D is a game where you’ll be driving through heavy traffic.Adv.
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic GamePlay the classic 1984 light gun shooter game Duck Hunt on your browser.Adv.
More Related News
Food processing company pleads guilty to charge in death of Edmonton man

A commercial food processing company has pleaded guilty to a workplace safety charge after an Edmonton worker became trapped in a smokehouse and died.

The friend, the family, their aunt and her lover: Court fight looms over $1M estate left to male escort

The will of a deceased B.C. woman will be contested by an old friend, her closest living relatives and a male escort approximately 54 years her junior following a decision by a provincial Supreme Court judge.

Quebec police find important witness in search for missing toddler

In the search for three-year-old Claire Bell, Quebec provincial police have located an important witness they say spoke to her mother on Sunday — just hours before she reported her child missing. 

Toronto cop gets suspended sentence, probation for assault over fake watch sale where man later died

An off-duty Toronto police officer has received a suspended sentence and a year of probation after being found guilty of assault for forcing a Brampton man to the ground in 2021 over a fake Apple watch in a Kijiji deal gone bad.

P.E.I. Fishermen's Association monitoring after entangled right whale prompts fishing restriction

The P.E.I. Fishermen's Association says it is closely monitoring the situation after Fisheries and Oceans Canada restricted a fishing area off P.E.I. waters due to the detection of an entangled North Atlantic right whale very close to the Island's coast.

Calgary startup tackles referee abuse with microphones and machine learning

Abuse of referees in amateur sport has been an issue for decades and all sorts of attempts have been made to curb the problem, from sternly worded signs that remind fans to be respectful to green armbands that identify novice officials to body-worn cameras that record footage from the refs' perspectives.

4 years after vanishing, painting at heart of $11M lawsuit re-emerges — but mystery far from over

When his lawyer's name flashed on his phone early last month, Michael Murray ducked out to answer the call — the physician was in the middle of seeing patients at his medical clinic in Hawaii, but this call from Toronto felt important. 

Receiver moves to put Yukon's Eagle mine up for sale

Victoria Gold's receiver wants to put the Eagle mine in Yukon up for sale.

In Kananaskis, the G7 held together, but showed signs of strain

After Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Donald Trump met one-on-one for 30 minutes on Monday morning, but before their respective teams joined to continue the discussion, the two leaders invited reporters and television cameras into a meeting room in Kananaskis, Alta. to witness them exchanging formal pleasantries.

Protesters hold 'people's forum' in Calgary ahead of G7, prepare for Sunday march

On the final day before G7 leaders gather in Kananaskis, Alta., activists and community groups met in downtown Calgary on Saturday afternoon for a "people's forum" that took aim at the priorities of G7 leaders.

P.E.I. optometrist goes mobile to serve care homes in Prince County

An Island optometrist has gone mobile, providing on-site eye exams at long-term and community care homes across western P.E.I..

Funeral held for 3 children killed in alleged impaired driving crash

The Laviña-Galve family held a joint funeral in Scarborough on Saturday for three children killed last month in an alleged impaired driving crash on Highway 401. 

Canadians urged to 'avoid all travel' to Israel amid escalating hostilities with Iran

The federal government is urging Canadians to "avoid all travel" to Israel as the country exchanges missile and air strikes with Iran.

Parking Slot | Free Parking GamePlay Parking Slot, the best online 3D car driving and parking game.Adv.
Slope Ball Run - Play OnlineSlope Game takes you on an exciting journey of a ball on special paths.Adv.
In rural Alaska, a village turns to solar and biomass energies to cut diesel and save money

Eric Huntington built his dream cabin nestled in the wilderness of central Alaska, eventually raising two daughters there. But over the years, he learned that living in this quiet, remote village came with a hefty cost.

A Canada-Israel rift is widening over UN votes and sanctions

Israel's war with Iran has temporarily delayed a reckoning with some of its main Western allies, but seems unlikely to close what has become a yawning gap between them over its conduct in Gaza and the West Bank.

Grizzly bears, cougars, sheep and deer met without incident during G7, officials say

As the G7 summit concludes in the popular wilderness destination of Kananaskis, Alta., officials say provincial teams managed frequent animal encounters without serious incident.

Man, 21, charged with armed carjacking after fall from Gardiner Expressway, police say

Toronto police say a 21-year-old man has been charged in an armed carjacking, after he fell from the Gardiner Expressway on Monday night while allegedly fleeing from officers.

A fugitive landlord is at large. Where does that leave dozens of his Ontario tenants?

Tenants of buildings owned by a wanted fugitive could be safe from eviction if the bank or a new landlord take over, a legal expert says. 

Badger residents flee as wildfire approaches community, infrastructure

Residents of Badger, N.L. are fleeing the community as smoke from a nearby wildfire clouds the air, and waterbombers pass overhead every few minutes.

Adam Drake guilty of murder in fatal stabbing of battle rapper Pat Stay

A Nova Scotia jury has found a 34-year-old man guilty of second-degree murder in the killing of battle rapper Pat Stay, a 36-year-old father of two who was fatally stabbed 2½ years ago at a downtown Halifax nightclub.

Saint Andrews property owners speak out against wharf refurbishment plan

Some property owners in Saint Andrews are speaking out against a plan to refurbish the Market Wharf, although the design was chosen by the public in a community vote.

Family wants justice after lone survivor of 2023 West Broadway mass shooting dies in hospital

The lone survivor of a mass shooting in a West Broadway rooming house is being mourned by his family after he died in a Winnipeg hospital earlier this month, more than a year and a half after the shooting that left four others dead.

Still waiting: Handful of Sask. communities remain under evacuation orders

The mayor of Creighton says residents will have to remain patient, as the northeastern Saskatchewan town waits for health-care services to restart in the neighbouring city of Flin Flon, Man.

'Desperate for rainfall': Farmers, ranchers in southwest Sask. reeling from another dry year

A rural municipality in southwest Saskatchewan is sounding the alarm as the worst dry conditions in almost a decade push crops and livestock to the brink.

Johnson 'has absolutely no insight' into his voyeurism crimes, judge says while jailing him

Warning: This story contains details some may find disturbing.

© 2008 - 2025 Webjosh  |  News Archive  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us