Émile Benamor, the defence lawyer charged this year with manslaughter and criminal negligence in connection with the 2023 fire that killed seven people in a building he owned in Old Montreal, has a date set for the possible start of his trial. According to court records, the date was set on Friday at the Montreal courthouse — on a day the hearing was not scheduled to proceed. Superior Court Justice Lyne Décarie agreed to carry the case over to a date in September, and she
reserved Jan. 31, 2028 for the start of a jury trial. In March, when Benamor was charged, the Crown announced it was proceeding with a preferred indictment, which meant a preliminary inquiry would not be necessary. Benamor, 63, is facing seven charges of manslaughter for the deaths and eight charges of criminal negligence causing bodily harm for the people who were injured in the blaze on March 16, 2023 in the building at the corner of Du Port St. and Place d’Youville. The victims of
the fire were Nathan Sears, 35, an academic visiting Montreal for a conference; An Wu, 31, another academic in Montreal for a conference; tourists Dania Zafar, 31, and Saniya Khan, 31; Charlie Lacroix, 18, and Walid Belkahla, 18, visitors from Terrebonne; and Camille Maheux, 76, a renowned photographer who lived in the building.
Old Montreal fire, Émile Benamor, manslaughter charges, criminal negligence, jury trial, Lyne Décarie, Du Port St, Place d’Youville
So they set a trial date but it sounds like it got pushed? Just hurry it up already.
Preferred indictment means what, like he’s already basically guilty or something? I’m not fully sure but 7 counts for manslaughter sounds insane.
Wait, jury trial in 2028?? That’s like forever, why so long. I thought court stuff usually moves faster. Also Old Montreal fires are always sketchy with those old buildings, not saying this guy is or isn’t, just seems like this happens.
December 2028?? I swear I saw something about Jan 31 like that’s the appeal or sentencing or whatever. Either way, man 7 people dead and injuries… this is brutal. Hope they really get to the bottom of what caused it because “criminal negligence” could mean a lot of things.