Woman charged after son appears in court on murder charge

Awoman was arrestedin the lobby of the Ottawa courthouse and charged with assault and intimidation Wednesday, minutes after attending her son's brief court appearanceon a charge of second-degree murder.

Brayton Kennedy, 19, ischarged in the 2016 homicide of Jacob Thompson, a man the teen's mother had been in a relationship with, according to a police source.

Investigators allegeKennedyshot Thompson, who was 40, at a home on the 2100 block of Elmira Drive in the early morning hours ofSept. 24, 2016.

Thompson died in hospital.

• Jacob Thompson, 40, ID'd as victim in fatal Elmira Drive shooting

Kennedy, wearing long, brown, curly hair and a black T-shirt, appeared in court via video Tuesday afternoon and is being held in custody. He was also ordered not to communicate with several relatives and witnesses in the case.

His next appearance is scheduled for April 25.

Four supporters sat in the front row. Ottawa police major crimes detectives were also present in the courtroom.

Moments after the brief appearance was over, Kennedy's mother, Geneva Kennedy, was arrested just steps away from the courtroom.

Charged with intimidation, assault

She was charged with two counts of intimidation by threat, one count of assault and two counts of failing to comply with a probation order, and was expected to appear in court Wednesday.

It's not the first time she's faced charges since Thompson's death.

In November,39-year-old Geneva Kennedypleaded guilty to obstructing police in thehomicide investigation and spent 18 days in jail.

Brayton Kennedy is facing a series of other outstanding charges, including:

• Possession of cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine, chargeslaid against him and another young man afteran incident in August 2016.
• Failing to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, and failing to reside at a home on the 2100 block of Elmira Drive, charges laid the day Thompson was killed.
• Failing to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, violating an order not to communicate with two peopleand other charges, laid in October 2016.
• Obstructing a police officer, failing to remain at home between 9:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., and failing to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, laid in February 2017.