HALIFAX –
A girl and boy, both 14, made their first appearance Friday in a Halifax courtroom charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
Crown lawyer Terry Nickerson told provincial youth court Judge Bronwyn Duffy that he will seek adult sentences for both defendants, whose identities are protected from publication under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
The victim, Ahmad Maher Al Marrach, was found seriously injured on Monday in a car park next to the Halifax shopping center and later died in hospital. Ahmad, a beloved ninth-grade student at Citadel High School in Halifax, and his family came to Canada after escaping the war in Syria several years ago.
The Al Marrach family issued a statement Friday offering their gratitude to those who reached out to help them.
“It is with heavy hearts and profound sadness that we wish to express our deepest gratitude for the outpouring of love, support and condolences we have received during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement said.
“The loss of our teenage son Ahmad has left an indelible void in our lives and in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.”
Halifax Regional Police issued a statement Thursday saying the two 14-year-olds were arrested Wednesday night in Lower Sackville, north of Halifax.
During their court appearance Friday, they both wore baggy blue sweatshirts and sweatpants. The boy also wore slip-on work boots and the girl wore pink sandals. The teen sat expressionless between two sheriff’s deputies during his brief appearance. The girl appeared to have tears in her eyes as she left the courtroom at the conclusion of the hearing.
The attorney representing them agreed that they should remain detained until their next appearance on May 13, when bail will be discussed and they can choose whether to be tried by a judge and jury or by a judge alone.
The judge also issued orders aimed at preventing the two from speaking to four potential witnesses, all of whom were young. Other names may be added to that list, Nickerson said.
“What I don’t want is a bunch of witnesses trying to get their stories straight,” Crown counsel told the court.
Security was tighter than usual inside the courthouse, where several sheriff’s deputies were stationed outside the courtroom as the two defendants were led inside.
Outside court, Nickerson said it was important to note that the two youths will not be tried as adults, but both could face adult sentences if convicted. If that happens, their identities will be revealed, she said.
“But now we are at a very early stage of the process,” he said.
Anyone convicted of second-degree murder faces a sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 to 25 years. Second-degree murder is defined as a murder committed intentionally but not premeditated or planned, as is the case with first-degree murder.
Earlier in the day, Halifax Regional Police warned people not to use social media to share information that could identify the two young men.
“Halifax Regional Police have been made aware of social media posts in which youths accused of a recent homicide may have been identified,” the statement said.
“If a social media post identifies a young person who is being dealt with under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, that constitutes a publication and may be grounds for a charge of breaching the publication ban provisions of the (act).” .
On Friday, photos of the teens and their names were available on various social media platforms.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2024.