Trial date set for man charged after death of Brady Francis

Maurice Johnson, who was charged after Brady Francis was struck and killed on a highway last year, will be tried in 2020.

Francis, of Elsipogtog First Nation, was found dead by the side of the road in Saint-Charles, about 100 kilometres north of Moncton. It's believed the 22-year-old was waiting for a ride home on Feb. 24 when he was struck on Saint-Charles South Road.

Johnson, 56 when he was charged last June, is accused offailure to stop at the scene of an accident.

On Monday, the Court of Queen's Bench set the date for the trial for Jan. 6 until Jan. 17, 2020. The case will be heard by a judge and jury.

Lawyer Gilles Lemieux appeared in court on behalf of Johnson.

A preliminary inquiry was to be held in Moncton provincial court on Jan. 14, but Lemieux said at thetime that Johnson waived his right to the hearing.

Johnson, of Saint-Charles, has elected to be tried in French but members of Francis's family speak only English and Mi'kmaq.

Patty Musgrave, a friend of the Perley-Francis family and an advocate for Indigenous people, is leading a fight to have simultaneous English interpretation available at the trial.

Musgrave is asking the provincial government to have an interpreter at the trial so the family will be able to follow the proceedings and have access to the justice system. So far, Justice Minister Andrea Anderson-Mason has refused that request.

A pre-trial hearing has beenset for Aug. 19 to Aug. 23.