The trial of a man from the Toronto area facing 14 murder charges, accused of supplying a hazardous substance to individuals contemplating suicide, has been postponed until spring, according to information obtained by CBC News. Kenneth Law’s trial, to be conducted by a jury, was initially slated to start last month in Newmarket, Ontario, but has now been rescheduled twice. Law’s legal team held a private meeting on Wednesday with Crown prosecutors and Ontario Superior Court Justice Michelle Fuerst via video conference. Subsequently, the families of the alleged victims were notified that the trial is now slated to commence in April 2026.
Law, aged 60, is facing 14 counts of first-degree murder and 14 counts of counseling or aiding suicide in relation to 14 fatalities across various cities in the province, including Toronto, London, and Thunder Bay. The delays are attributed to an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada in a separate case that could potentially impact the murder charges leveled against Law. The Crown is contesting a decision by Ontario’s highest court that implies an individual may only be held accountable for murder if they provided the fatal substance to a person who died by suicide and “coerced the victim’s free will in opting for suicide.”
Law has refuted any wrongdoing, with his lawyer, Matthew Gourlay from Henein Hutchison Robitaille LLP, indicating that his client will plead not guilty. Law is scheduled to make a virtual appearance from jail in a Newmarket courtroom next Monday. He has been in custody since his apprehension at his residence in Mississauga in May 2023. At that time, Peel Regional Police alleged that he had been operating online shops selling a legal, yet potentially deadly, substance and other items relating to suicide to individuals at risk of self-harm.
The families of Jeshennia Bedoya Lopez, 18, Ashtyn Prosser, 19, and Stephen Mitchell Jr., 21, have identified their loved ones as alleged victims in Ontario. Police have mentioned that the other deceased individuals were between 16 and 36 years old. The case has garnered global attention, with reports indicating that Law dispatched roughly 1,200 packages to buyers in 40 countries before his websites were closed down. A probe by CBC News has suggested that Law’s products could be connected to 133 fatalities worldwide, spanning across the U.S., Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, New Zealand, and several Canadian provinces. Authorities in the UK have hinted that Law may have supplied nearly 99 individuals with materials for suicide in the UK alone.
