An Ontario Superior Court judge will decide whether or not Montana Lewis will be released on bail prior to being tried for first-degree murder in the 2020 stabbing death of a Sault man later this year.
Roughly 40 to 50 people, made up of family and friends of both the victim and the accused, crowded a second-floor courtroom in the courthouse on Tuesday as details of a proposed plan for Lewis’ release were laid out before Justice Susan Stothart.
Submissions by David Bayliss, a Toronto-based criminal lawyer representing Lewis, and Crown Attorney Matthew Caputo were also made before the court during the five-hour hearing.
Lewis, who was wearing a blue, button-down shirt and tan khakis, sat in the prisoner’s box staring straight ahead for much of the time.
Justice Stothart is expected to deliver her decision on Lewis’ bail application July 24.
A publication ban prohibits SooToday from reporting on any evidence given or representations made until Lewis, 22, stands trial — nearly five years after being charged in connection with the Nov. 12, 2020 Muriel Drive homicide that took the life of Samuel Graham, who was 19 years old when he was killed.
At the time of the incident, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service said officers responded to reports of an altercation in the east end at 4:35 p.m.
They discovered the victim, who was transported to the Sault Area Hospital before dying as a result of his injuries.
Lewis was charged with obstructing justice and breach of recognizance in December 2020, for allegedly being in contact with an individual that he was prohibited from communicating with.
Three weeks have been set aside for Lewis’ trial, which is slated to begin Oct. 6.
- with files from Linda Richardson