Executive Summary
- Ka-Mikosit Favelle’s sentencing for manslaughter was halted due to an overdose during a lunch break.
- The incident occurred after the judge signaled a potential sentence longer than the Crown’s seven-year recommendation.
- Favelle pleaded guilty to killing her boyfriend with a vehicle in West Kelowna in 2022.
- A bench warrant was issued to ensure Favelle’s return to court once medically stable.
A sentencing hearing in British Columbia for a woman who pleaded guilty to manslaughter was abruptly adjourned on Friday after the court was informed the defendant had been hospitalized following an apparent drug overdose and suicide attempt. The medical emergency occurred during a court recess, shortly after the presiding judge signaled that the accused could face a significantly longer prison term than prosecutors had recommended.
Ka-Mikosit Favelle, 30, appeared in a Kelowna courtroom for the second day of her sentencing hearing regarding the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Adam Briand-Lawrence. According to court transcripts cited by CBC News, Justice Catherine Murray informed the court on Friday morning that she was considering a sentence exceeding the seven-year term proposed by the Crown. Conversely, defense lawyer Paul McMurray had suggested a conditional sentence order involving house arrest, noting Favelle’s lack of a prior criminal record.
Following the lunch break, court proceedings were halted when McMurray advised Justice Murray that Favelle’s parents reported she had been taken to the hospital. The defense attorney stated the hospitalization was due to an "apparent drug overdose and suicide attempt." Prior to the disruption, the court heard details of the August 19, 2022, incident where Favelle accelerated her vehicle to 95 km/h on a residential road in West Kelowna, striking and killing Briand-Lawrence. Prosecutors argued the act was "near murder" on the manslaughter scale.
Justice Murray responded to the defendant’s absence by issuing a warrant for her arrest under section 512.3 of the Criminal Code, a procedural measure used to address court breaches. The judge stated the proceedings would be adjourned until Favelle is medically cleared to appear for a bail hearing.
Judicial Procedural Update
This incident underscores the unpredictable nature of high-stress sentencing hearings and the procedural complexities that arise when a defendant acts out of desperation. The issuance of an arrest warrant in this context is a technical mechanism to ensure the court retains jurisdiction and to compel the defendant’s return once they are physically able. The delay extends the emotional toll on the victim’s family, who had expressed hope that the judge’s stern consideration indicated a serious approach to the crime. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
