Arguments in Taylor Kennedy court case to continue in late August

The lawyer for a Saskatoon woman accused of driving while high, then hitting and killing a 9-year-old girl nearly three years ago, plans to continue several arguments in late August.

Taylor Kennedy is accused of killing nine-year-old Bayleigh Maurice on Sept. 9, 2021 as the girl rode her scooter to school in the 600 block of 33rd Street West.

The girl was in a marked crosswalk when she was hit by a pickup truck.

Kennedy is the first person in Saskatchewan to face a THC-related impaired driving causing death charge.

During a brief appearance in Saskatoon Provincial Court on Tuesday, Thomas Hynes said he would continue constitutional arguments, including addressing new case law, “unreasonable” case delays, and whether certain evidence may have been excluded, or if there were any breaches related to that.

Kennedy’s trial began in October 2023, and was originally scheduled for three days. It was then delayed until Feb. 2024, and has been adjourned several times since.

In early June, Judge Jane Wooten ruled that Kennedy’s confession to police about using both cannabis and microdosing magic mushrooms in the 24 hours before she hit Maurice, could be admitted as evidence into her trial.

The matter is back in court August 30.