Williams’ case adjourned to July
By Shurtz, Delon on June 15, 2020.
Delon Shurtz
lethbridge herald
A Lethbridge man accused of a string of violent offences last year won’t be back in court for several more weeks while his lawyer arranges to schedule a bail review in Court of Queen’s Bench.
Cory Ray Williams was expected to set a new trial during a hearing Friday in Lethbridge provincial court, but the case was adjourned until July 24 when it will simply be spoken to. Meanwhile, defence will try to have Williams released on bail, which he was originally denied in February.
Williams also pleaded guilty Friday to a charge of failing to attend court last July, which is unrelated to his more serious charges stemming from offences in October. Williams was sentenced to one day in jail, which was satisfied by his appearance in court Friday.
The accused was set to stand trial July 20-24, but it was adjourned last month to allow time for his new lawyer to get up to speed on the case. The Crown also requested an adjournment because several police witnesses would be unavailable to attend a trial in July.
Williams, 40, pleaded not guilty Feb. 6 to charges of kidnapping, attempted kidnapping, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, assault with a weapon, flight from police, dangerous driving, uttering threats, robbery, attempted robbery and housebreaking.
Police reported that on Oct. 20 a 41-year-old man told police he and an acquaintance were arguing when the other man attacked him with a machete, then fled before police arrived.
The same evening, a vehicle parked along Mayor Magrath Drive North was carjacked, and the driver, with a machete held to his throat, was forced to drive to several locations in the city. The suspect made the victim withdraw money from an ATM, then demanded he be driven toward the Blood Reserve.
The following day, police responded to a disturbance along 2 Avenue South where a man was wielding multiple weapons. While police were en route, additional calls came in reporting a carjacking in the 200 block of 27 Street South by a man matching the description of the subject involved in the disturbance.
Then on Oct. 23, police responded to a report of a woman screaming outside a northside residence. The woman was walking from a bus stop when a man threw her to the ground and demanded she turn over her cellphone. He ran away after the scuffle.
Later that day the suspect was found at a northside home and arrested. Police searched the suspect’s residence and reportedly recovered evidence of the offences.
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