Sudbury man sentenced for manslaughter after 'senseless and tragic' incident last Canada Day
After pleading guilty to manslaughter following an assault that turned fatal last July, a Sudbury man has finally learned his fate.
Denis Richer, 49, was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday for beating a man to death on Canada Day last year. The sentence is in addition to 357 days he has already spent in jail.
The case revolves around a serious assault that took place outside a home on Ferndale Avenue in the Minnow Lake neighbourhood of Greater Sudbury on July 1, 2020.
The court heard the victim -- a 44-year-old man likely suffering a mental-health crisis -- stripped naked in the street and forced his way into the home where Richer's 75-year-old widowed mother was home alone.
A fight ensued when Richer arrived, and witnesses said they heard Richer yell, "You scared my mother! She's frail."
Witnesses testified the victim swung his fists at Richer and hit him with a plastic shovel before being punched back. When the victim fell to the ground, Richer began stomping on his head until witnesses yelled at him to stop.
The autopsy revealed the cause of death was the severe impact of blunt force trauma.
Richer took off before police and the ambulance arrived. The victim was taken to hospital by ambulance with serious injuries.
Originally, a 25-year-old man who lived next door to where the fight took place was charged with attempted murder in the case, but shortly after, police dropped the charge and arrested Richer.
The charge was upgraded to second-degree murder when the victim died in hospital 11 days later. Richer ended up pleading guilty to manslaughter early on to avoid a lengthy court case, and Justice Alexander Kurke said he has expressed remorse for the crime.
Victim impact statements
The Crown and defence made a joint sentencing submission, asking for four and a half years in jail, with credit for pre-sentence custody. That was granted by the judge, who also imposed a lifetime firearms ban and a no-contact order with the victim's family.
During the sentencing hearing, the victim's two brothers and his partner of 22 years read victim impact statements that described how much he is missed and that they are not ready to forgive Richer.
One of his brothers said Richer took the law into his own hands that night and that he hopes Richer can learn to respect human life.
In his sentencing decision, Kurke said after weighing all the circumstances, the proposed sentence is an appropriate balance of rehabilitation and denunciation of the crime. He said it should send a message to others that even unintentional killings will be severely dealt with.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.