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In a tense courtroom, emotions ran high as a judge stayed the charge against a Saskatoon woman who fatally struck nine-year-old Baeleigh Maurice with her truck.
Judge Jane Wootten ruled that Taylor Kennedy was not tried within a reasonable timeframe, leading to the dismissal of the case. Kennedy had been charged with impaired driving, exceeding the legal blood-drug concentration of THC, and causing Maurice’s death. She was the first person in Saskatchewan to face such charges in a fatal incident involving THC.
Maurice was on her way to school on September 9, 2021, pushing her scooter across a crosswalk on 33rd Street West, when Kennedy’s truck hit her. At the crash scene, before being read her rights, Kennedy told police she had vaped marijuana and micro-dosed magic mushrooms the day before.
The judge’s decision sparked outrage among supporters of the victim’s family, who shouted accusations of racism at Wootten.
“You’ll forever be remembered as the white judge who upheld white supremacy,” someone yelled from the gallery.
“Racist! Absolute racist!” another voice shouted.
The outcry led to additional sheriffs being brought into the courtroom as proceedings concluded and the judge quickly exited. Many in the gallery were seen crying outside.
Trial Delays Exceed Limits
According to Canadian law, cases in provincial courts must conclude within 18 months. Judge Wootten calculated that Kennedy’s case took about 24 months to reach a decision.
She determined that 158 of the 899 days of delay were caused by the defense, leaving a total delay of 741 days—six months over the legal threshold.
In her ruling, Wootten rejected arguments from the prosecution that the case’s complexity and the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic justified the delay. She noted that the case involved a single charge, one accused, and one incident, making it relatively straightforward.
“Even if I found this case was complex, I would not have attributed the delay to complexity,” Wootten said. She also concluded that while the pandemic created a backlog of cases, it did not significantly impact this one.
Defense Cites Flawed Investigation
Kennedy’s lawyer, Thomas Hynes, welcomed the judge’s decision, calling the prosecution “flawed from the start.”
“We’ve been saying for a while now that this trial took too long,” Hynes told reporters after the ruling.
He also argued that the police investigation violated Kennedy’s rights, which would have resulted in the exclusion of key evidence and a not-guilty verdict even if the trial had proceeded.
The prosecution declined to comment, but the defense expects an appeal to be filed.
Family Calls for Justice
Rhane Mahingen, Baeleigh Maurice’s aunt, expressed the family’s anguish over the judge’s ruling.
“It felt like we lost her all over again,” Mahingen said tearfully.
She criticized the court system for systemic racism and described the decision as a betrayal of justice.
“This little girl deserved justice, and that’s not what we got,” Mahingen said.
As the holiday season approaches, she reflected on the family’s grief and urged others to cherish their loved ones.
“Hold your little ones close because you never know how much time you have with them. And when you do, please think of my family grieving this Christmas.”
Taylor Kennedy attended the hearing via Zoom, projected onto a screen in the courtroom. The judge had emphasized the need for respect and civility during the proceedings, but the emotional outburst from the gallery underscored the deep pain and frustration felt by Maurice’s family and supporters.
