Two men facing charges connected with Vancouver’s 11th homicide of 2021 will have a jury trial following a preliminary inquiry, a provincial court judge heard Feb. 11.
The Vancouver Police Department said the 40-year-old victim Michael Bailey was shot inside the London Hotel at 208 East Georgia St. in the Downtown Eastside early on July 20, 2021.
Initially, both suspects fled the area, police said, adding investigators believed the incident was targeted.
Three weeks later, Ba Hue Tran, 26, of Vancouver, was charged with one count of manslaughter.
Joseph Mason, 37, also of Vancouver, was charged with one count of second-degree murder.
On Feb. 11, Mason appeared by video but Tran refused to leave his cell. He has done so before due to COVID issues.
Mason’s lawyer told Judge Gregory Rideout his client requested to elect a preliminary inquiry and then trial by judge and jury.
“Given Mr. Mason’s election, Mr. Tran doesn’t have an option,” Tran’s lawyer Chris Johnson said. “I’m prepared to go along with that.”
Preliminary inquiries are held to determine if enough evidence exists to go to trial. They are covered by a publication ban to protect potential jurors from contamination.
Jury cases are heard in B.C. Supreme Court.
A pre-trial conference has been set for Feb. 23.
Mason also faces a breach of a probation order, while Tran faces charges related to breach of probation and a breach of court orders.
