Woman handed 2 years in deadly Granville Street bar fight
The woman accused in the attack that killed another woman at a Granville Street nightclub in August of 2016 has been handed two years in jail.
Samantha Nadine Doolan, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, must also complete three years of probation and pay a $200 victim surcharge.
At the time of the attack police said a brief fight broke out inside the club over a minor issue between the victim and two other women. The altercation spilled out onto the streets and Doolan punched Lauren McLellan in the head.
"We have felt all along that this was a really tragic end to an evening out with girlfriends," said Stacey Forrester with Good Night Out Vancouver.
"The two years I think will never feel as if it's enough. It could have been any number higher or lower and it's not going to take away the pain from Lauren's family and friends," she said.
After the sentencing, people took to social media expressing outrage and calling the jail time too light. But for a charge of manslaughter, there is no minimum punishment as there would be for murder.
"It can be anything from no jail all the way up to 25 years in jail and this is a case where the judge would have looked at all of the factors involved in the incident itself, as well as the background of the accused, the timing of the guilty plea and factored that all in to coming up with the sentence," said criminal lawyer Michael Shapray.
Violence on Granville Street
Vancouver police say things have gotten better on the Granville Strip over the last 10 years, but there are still problems when you have so many people leaving the bars at the same time.
"We do take any recommendations that we have and try to make it as safe as we can. We have extra officers deployed down there on the busy weekends and we are out there and we are very visible, so if you see us, approach us, and let us know. Flag us down," said Sgt. Jason Robillard.
"It's a very tragic event and our hearts go out to the family."
