An attempted murder charge related to an alleged Halloween night stabbing in Kelowna has been stayed by Crown prosecutors.
Jesse Pez was arrested on Oct. 31, 2020, after police found him in a house smeared with blood just a short distance from the H20 Centre, where officers on-scene confirmed to the Capital News somebody had been stabbed. Police subsequently charged Pez with attempted murder.
“After reviewing the available evidence the Crown counsel, with conduct of the file concluded, that the charge assessment standard for proceeding with criminal charges was not met. Accordingly, the charges have been stayed,” stated BC Prosecution Service communications counsel Dan McLaughlin.
Prosecutors will only proceed with charges if evidence gathered by investigators provides “a substantial likelihood of conviction.”
READ MORE: Kelowna man charged with attempted murder in Halloween stabbing back in custody
The Crown also stayed a separate July 2019 charge, against Pez, for uttering threats.
Pez still faces several charges unrelated to the Halloween incident, including an assault charge related to a Sept. 2020 occurrence in Lake Country. He is scheduled to appear in court on that charge, and a few others, on Feb. 9. He is also scheduled to go to trial for an alleged May 2020 assault on March 9.
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