A teen will be waiting until July 3 for his sentence after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting to stabbing the victim after a day of drinking and fighting.
The teen — who cannot be named due to the Youth Criminal Justice Act — appeared in Boyle Provincial Court March 12, accompanied by members of his family. He also pleaded not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder. The victim cannot be named due to a publication ban.
Reading from an agreed statement of facts, Crown prosecutor Sandra Christensen-Moore said that on Aug. 7, the teen was drinking at his residence in the Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement with two other people. According to the statement, the teen had been consuming vodka and beer, and witnesses said he became increasingly aggressive.
She said the argument escalated into a physical altercation, at which point the other person left. She said as the person was leaving, he saw the victim smash a phone on the driveway.
Christensen-Moore stated that the fighting resumed in the dining room. A family member witnessed the teen pulling out a pocket knife, and he was seen stabbing the victim two or three times.
A neighbour then came over, and they called 911. Christensen-Moore said the defendant complied with police, noting that a first responder heard the teen say he had been molested, and that he also said “I can’t believe I did that.”
The victim was taken to the Boyle Healthcare Centre, where Christensen-Moore said he initially refused treatment. He was then taken to Edmonton, and he died on route.
Judge Clifton Purvis agreed to postpone sentencing until a pre-sentence report and psychological assessment could be completed.
The teen is set to be living with a family member until his next appearance.
