Mackenzie second-degree murder case moved to Prince George court

The case of Drake Matthew Kerr will not be heard in Mackenzie after a judge agreed Wednesday, Dec. 11 to move it to Prince George.

Kerr, born in 2003, was charged last month with second-degree murder. Kerr pleaded not guilty by video during his arraignment hearing in Prince George Provincial Court.

His lawyer, Jason LeBlond, told the court that he would undergo a preliminary hearing with one witness, whose name is protected by a publication ban.

Crown counsel Robert Climie asked Judge Martin Nadon to change the venue for the preliminary hearing, because the security of witnesses, gravity of the charge against Kerr and the facilities in Mackenzie are a concern to both Crown and defence.

“Both counsel are here and the accused is in custody here,” Climie said. “If you've sat in Mackenzie, I don't know whether you have, it is a very confined space and often packed shoulder-to-shoulder through the reception area, then everywhere else.”

LeBlond agreed with Climie’s remarks.

Said Nadon: “I'm familiar with the Mackenzie courthouse, and given the nature of the charge and concerns of counsel, I’m prepared to order that the pertinent inquiry be moved to Prince George. You’ll have to deal with the trial judge for the rest of it.”

Nadon set Dec. 17 to fix a date for the preliminary hearing, which Climie estimated would take a day and a half.

RCMP in Mackenzie said the body of a man was found in a house on Centennial Drive in Mackenzie after police were called to a shots fired report on Sept. 29.

RCMP issued a public alert for Kerr’s whereabouts Oct. 2 and arrested Kerr two days later on a warrant.