Teen girl found guilty of manslaughter in fatal Toronto swarming attack

In a recent development, one of the teenage girls involved in the tragic swarming attack on a homeless man in Toronto has been found not guilty of second-degree murder but guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter. Ontario Superior Court Justice Philip Campbell delivered the verdict, stating that there was not enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the girl was responsible for dealing the fatal blow to Kenneth Lee or had the necessary state of mind for murder during the 2022 attack.

The girl, who was only 14 years old at the time of the incident, had initially attempted to plead guilty to manslaughter at the beginning of her murder trial, but the Crown rejected this plea. She was one of eight girls aged between 13 and 16 who were arrested and charged with second-degree murder following Lee’s death. The other seven girls have since pleaded guilty to lesser charges, ranging from manslaughter to assault with a weapon.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that the girl was the one who inflicted the fatal wound on Lee by stabbing him with a knife or a small pair of scissors during the attack in a downtown Toronto parkette. While no knife was ever recovered as part of the investigation, the judge found that the girl did possess a weapon during the attack, specifically a small pair of scissors. Surveillance video footage of the incident played a crucial role in the trial, showing the girl aggressively approaching Lee with the scissors in hand.

However, despite the evidence pointing towards the girl’s involvement in the attack, the judge expressed uncertainty about who exactly had stabbed Lee in the heart and with what weapon. The forensic pathologist who examined Lee’s body testified that the scissors found in the girl’s possession were unlikely to have caused the fatal wound. Lee, who was living in a city shelter at the time, tragically passed away after undergoing emergency surgery at St. Michael’s Hospital.

The judge emphasized the disturbing nature of the attack, describing it as “irrational viciousness” displayed by the group of girls and specifically highlighting the girl’s use of scissors as a weapon. However, he ultimately concluded that there was not enough evidence to support a murder conviction based on the girl’s state of mind at the time of the attack.

The Crown and defense are scheduled to reconvene in court at the end of July for sentencing submissions. This case serves as a sobering reminder of the tragic consequences of senseless violence and the importance of seeking justice for victims of such heinous acts.