Manslaughter charge doesn't hold up in court for North Bay-area woman

A North Bay-area woman who was facing a manslaughter charge in connection with an overdose death has instead pled guilty to trafficking.

Stephanie Slack, 36, admitted to selling the victim fentanyl before she died, but her lawyer said there was no evidence that the fentanyl caused the victim to die.

Slack was sentenced for trafficking and given a sentence of two years less a day, to be served in the community. She can only leave her residence to go to work, doctor’s appointments, attend places of worship or receive counselling.

She was also placed on probation for two years.

She admitted to selling the fentanyl to the victim, but said she sold a small amount for no profit because she thought it “would help her” because the victim was suffering from withdrawal.

Slack also took the drugs from her own supply.

The victim died at work at a hair salon in August 2018. Slack’s lawyer, Graham Clark, said the drugs his client sold the victim weren’t related to her death.

“She is not being sentenced for manslaughter,” Clark said.

“She shared a substance in the context of two people who were both dependent on a substance experiencing significant discomfort from very serious withdrawal and Ms. Slack was not a drug dealer. She was not trafficking commercially.”

Graham said his client’s long-term prospects for recovery are positive right now.

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“I believe it's a situation where Ms. Slack has done everything possible to recover,” he said.

“She is employed, her addiction has not been active for quite some time and my suggestion to the court was that there's no benefit to the community incarcerating her and taking the fruits of all of her labours to overcome the addiction.”