The trial of a man charged in a 2020 assault case in Fort St. John was adjourned Thursday, Nov. 28 due to an illness reported by his lawyer.
The Crown was ready to proceed with the one-day trial in Prince George Provincial Court of Kristopher James Tucker. Tucker, born in 1982, was charged after an alleged Aug. 19, 2020 domestic violence incident in Fort St. John.
Tucker’s lawyer, Sigrid Thompson, told Judge Darin Reeves that her client was available by phone, though “he is very, very ill.”
“It is a very old matter,” Thompson said. “All of the delay is on the defence.”
“Five years!” Reeves interjected. “I do see he seemed to be absent from January 2021 to February of 2024.”
The online court registry shows a warrant was issued for Tucker's arrest on Jan. 4, 2021. Feb. 5, 2024 is the next entry on Tucker's file, for a first appearance after the execution of a warrant.
Tucker, Thompson said, told her the previous day that he was on his way to a hospital emergency ward. She said Tucker has a kidney disease and liver issues. He is now battling the flu, which is exacerbating those conditions.
Reeves adjourned the case to Dec. 10 to schedule a new trial date.
