Crown to upgrade Forman charges
Crown alleges man accused of murdering his wife and 2 daughters in Kelowna planned 2 of the killings
Jacob Forman planned to kill two of his three family members who were found dead days before Christmas last year, the Crown alleges.
Forman, 34, is charged with murdering his wife of 12 years, Clara Soledad Forman, and their two daughters, Yesenia Kate Forman, 8, and Karina Anne Forman, 7.
He is alleged to have killed them between Dec. 17 and Dec. 19, 2017. No details have been released about the deaths.
Police were called to the family’s Rutland home on Bolotzky Court the afternoon of Dec. 19.
Forman originally was charged with second-degree murder in the three deaths.
In court Thursday, the Crown informed the judge of its intention to upgrade two of the three charges from second-degree murder to first-degree murder.
It was not revealed which two deaths were being changed to first-degree murder.
First-degree murder is classified as being planned and deliberate, states the Canadian Criminal Code.
Forman appeared in court via video, and the proceeding lasted only a few minutes before it was adjourned to 9:30 a.m. April 13.
Forman spoke only once in court — when the clerk asked if he was Mr. Forman.
“Yes, your honour,” he said.
Forman first appeared in court on Dec. 21 and was ordered not to have contact with 13 people.
In court on Jan. 17, Forman’s lawyer, Glenn Verdurmen, said he was still waiting for disclosure of information, including details of the RCMP investigation into the murders.
On Feb. 15, Verdurmen said he’d received a good deal of disclosures but still expected much more from the Crown and RCMP.
Verdurmen was not in court Thursday, and neither was Crown prosecutor Murray Kaay.
Both counsel had other lawyers acting as agents on their behalf.