A timeline of the Aidan and Angus Kee trial
In February of 2020, Nick Tanti, 27, was fatally stabbed outside of a downtown Guelph bar on MacDonnell Street around 2 a.m.
He was taken to hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Brothers Aidan and Angus Kee were identified by police as the two involved in the stabbing, and both initially faced first-degree murder charges for their alleged involvement.
Over the past two and a half years, the brothers have seen their days in court and the final steps in the sentencing hearing are slated for October.
The timeline of the trial and the evolution of the charges are as follows:
Feb. 29, 2020
Nick Tanti, 27, was stabbed outside of a bar in Guelph. Police were called to Tony’s Billiards on MacDonnell Street where they found Tanti suffering from a stab wound.
Tanti was transported to Guelph General Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
A 22-year-old man and 26-year-old man, both from Guelph, were taken into custody pending a bail hearing. They were due to appear in court at a later date.
March 2, 2020
Aidan, 26, and Angus Kee, 22, made brief, separate appearances over video in the courtroom. Both brothers were charged with first-degree murder in the death of Tanti.
At the time, the two were being held at Maplehurst Correctional Complex pending their next trial date.
March 7, 2020
The funeral for Tanti was held in Guelph.
A visitation was held at Basilica of our Lady Immaculate in Guelph, followed by a funeral service.
July 15, 2020
Aidan was granted bail for $104,000.
Protestors rallied outside the Guelph courthouse following the decision.
At the time, Tanti’s family said a tree would be planted in his memory at the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest at the University of Guelph’s arboretum.
May 16, 2022
The trial of the Kee brothers began. The charges had been changed from first-degree murder to lesser crimes.
Aidan was now on trial for second-degree murder, while Angus was on trial for manslaughter and accessory after the fact.
May 22, 2022
Angus was granted bail during an audio hearing. His bail was set for $75,000.
Aidan remained in custody.
May 30, 2022
The Crown dropped the manslaughter charges against Angus, saying there was no possibility of conviction on that count, but kept the charges of accessory after the fact in place.
In court, Aidan recounted the events leading up to Tanti’s death. Holding back tears, Aidan told the court he never intentionally opened the knife blade, saying, “Nick was my friend, I would never try to stab him.”
June 3, 2022
During the trial, video of the moments leading up to Tanti's death was shown.
Aidan and his brother Angus could be seen walking outside the MacDonell Street bar when Tanti appeared. The brothers turned around, then Tanti pushed and punched Aidan. The physical altercation continued and then the video showed Tanti walking away and going into the bar while Aidan was outside, holding a knife in his right hand.
June 6, 2022
After three weeks of testimony, jury deliberations began.
Aidan was on trial for second-degree murder, while his younger brother Angus was charged with accessory after the fact.
The judge told the jury during the trial, there’s no denying Aidan caused Tanti’s death. The question now was whether it was intentional.
June 8, 2022
The jury reached a verdict.
After one day of deliberations, the jury found Aidan not guilty of second-degree murder, but guilty of manslaughter.
Angus was found not guilty on his count of accessory after the fact.
June 9, 2022
The sentencing date for Aidan was set for later in the year. He was allowed to remain on bail until the sentencing.
Sept. 27, 2022
The sentencing submission began.
Victim impact statements are read, including one from Tanti’s mother Sharon who said her son's death has taken away her joy, saying “there’s no happiness,” her anxiety keeps her from sleeping and she cries all the time.
Nov. 3, 2022
Judge Gordon Lemon sentenced Aidan to three years, five months and seven days in prison.
Lemon said he took the 137 days Kee had already spent in custody into consideration in determining the sentencing.
The defence argued that 33 of those days should count for more as they were in full or partial lockdown because of COVID-19 protocols. Judge Lemon said that did factor into his decision in determining reductions.
The reduction of time served then worked out to roughly a year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Former Air Canada employees among suspects identified in gold heist at Pearson Airport: police
Nine people have been arrested in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year, Peel Regional Police said Wednesday.
MPs summon ArriveCan contractor to the House to be admonished in rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archaeological site in southwest France.
'Enormous sum of money': Actor Hugh Grant settles privacy lawsuit against tabloid
British actor Hugh Grant has settled a lawsuit against the publisher of Rupert Murdoch's tabloid newspaper, The Sun, over claims journalists used private investigators to tap his phone and burgle his house, he said on Wednesday.
O.J. Simpson was chilling with a beer on a couch before Easter, lawyer says. 2 weeks later he was dead
O.J. Simpson's last robust discussion with his longtime lawyer was just before Easter, at the country club home Simpson leased southwest of the Las Vegas Strip. About a week later, on April 5, a doctor said Simpson was 'transitioning.'
Some of the winners and losers in the 2024 federal budget
With a variety of fiscal and policy measures announced in the federal budget, winners include small businesses and fintech companies while losers include the tobacco industry and Canadian pension funds.
U.K. plan to phase out smoking for good passes first hurdle
The British government's plan for a landmark smoking ban that aims to stop young people from ever smoking cleared its first hurdle in Parliament on Tuesday despite vocal opposition from within Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party.