Defence urges non-jail sentence for man who killed Victor McNab, 84
There should be intensive counselling but no more prison time for the man convicted of killing 84-year-old Victor Richard McNab, a Regina court heard Thursday.
Dale Murray Stonechild, 62, was convicted last year of manslaughter in the January 2013 death.
A witness for the defence, First Nations elder John Stonechild, said he's an uncle of Dale Stonechild and favours restorative justice rather than more time behind bars.
- RELATED: 'Violence here beyond belief': Crown wants life sentence in death of Regina 84-year-old
Dale Stonechild has been in custody since he was arrested in 2013 and had previously spent time behind bars for other crimes.
"We would use the spiritual side to help him rectify his life," John said.
The plan for Dale would include "intense counselling" on Okanese First Nation with several elders taking turns over a period of four years.
The program would also include spiritual ceremonies, such as sweats, going to the bush and fasting for
four nights, and preparing for a "sun dance ritual".
This would involve piercing the chest and back with cherry wood pieces about the size of a half a pencil, which would then be ripped from the skin.
John called it a "very harsh form of treatment."
"Very difficult to explain unless you've gone through it," he added.
John, who has been involved in corrections for some 30 years, claimed that to his knowledge, 75 per cent of inmates he has dealt with are now law-abiding.
"I believe they say there's a little bit of good in the worst of us," he told the court.
Crown calls for life sentence
The defence request to get credit for remand time and no additional time in prison is in stark contrast to the Crown's position.
It's calling for a life sentence, with no possibility of parole for seven years.
During sentencing arguments Wednesday, the Crown said Stonechild considered the older man his uncle.
They had been drinking together on the night in question, and McNab said something that triggered a violent rampage.
McNabb was repeatedly beaten with a cane, and stabbed with a knife and a screwdriver.
One of his eyes was crushed; the other one was knocked out of the socket. When his lifeless body was found the next morning, his back had been broken.
On Tuesday, Crown prosecutor James Fitz-Gerald went through a number of convictions Stonechild has on his record for violent offences.
They include:
- assault causing bodily harm (1973)
- assault causing bodily harm (1974)
- dangerous use of a firearm (1977)
- assault of a peace officer (wounding with intent) (1978)
- aggravated assault held a man while another man stabbed him (1984)
- assaulting a peace officer (1988)
- simple assault (1992)
- assault causing bodily harm, after choking a woman (2004)
The Queen's Bench judge adjourned sentencing to May 12.
