Second degree murder

The Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed Denim Henderson’s conviction and sentence appeals arising from the death of nine-month-old Kaleb McKay.

The appeal addressed whether charges for aggravated assault and failing to provide necessaries of life were properly joined with a second degree murder charge, and whether a discreditable conduct instruction was required.

The court held that the indictment was valid under s. 589 of the Criminal Code, as the charges arose from the same transaction.

The court also found no error in the trial judge’s instructions and concluded that the jury’s verdict was not tainted by improper propensity reasoning.

The appellant, Richard Pereira, was convicted of second degree murder in the death of Kathryn Horne.

At trial, the defence conceded that Pereira killed Horne, but argued he was not criminally responsible (NCR) due to mental disorder.

The Court of Appeal reviewed whether the trial judge erred in applying the NCR test, in analyzing post-offence conduct, and in considering expert evidence.

The appeal was dismissed, with the court finding no error in the trial judge’s approach to the NCR defence, the use of post-offence conduct, or the treatment of expert evidence.

The appellants, Andrew Smoke and Eric Smoke, appealed their convictions for the second degree murder of Andrew “Scruff” Davis.

The Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed both appeals, finding no error in the trial judge’s instructions to the jury regarding aiding and abetting, after-the-fact conduct, and the use of statements attributed to Andrew.

The court also found the verdict against Eric was not unreasonable, given the circumstantial evidence, including DNA and video evidence.

The court sentenced Jaleem Abdella-Smith for second degree murder, following a jury verdict.

The sentencing reasons review the facts of the offence, the circumstances of the offender, the impact on the victim’s family, and the applicable sentencing principles and ranges.

The court imposed a life sentence with 12 years of parole ineligibility, considering the impulsive nature of the shooting, the offender’s youth, lack of criminal record, difficult background, and the particularly harsh conditions of pre-sentence custody.

The decision also addresses the weight of jury recommendations and the importance of denunciation and deterrence in gun violence cases.

The court considered whether Seedjan Sulaiman Khail, who stabbed his father to death, was not criminally responsible by reason of mental disorder.

The only issue in dispute was whether the accused’s mental disorder rendered him incapable of knowing that his actions were wrong.

After reviewing the psychiatric evidence and the accused’s history, the court found that while Mr. Sulaiman Khail suffered from a mental disorder at the time of the offence, he did not lack the capacity to know that his actions were wrong according to the ordinary moral standards of society.

The court found him guilty of second-degree murder.

The Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed the appeal of Robert Ashley Williams from his conviction for second degree murder.

The appellant argued that the trial judge erred by not leaving the partial defence of provocation with the jury and by misdirecting the jury on the defence of self-defence.

The court found that the evidence did not support leaving provocation with the jury, as the appellant's actions made the victim's response foreseeable and there was no air of reality to the loss of self-control or suddenness elements.

The court also found no error in the trial judge's self-defence instructions.

The appeal was dismissed.

Christopher Mitchell pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the shooting death of John Wheeler.

The sentencing was adjourned to allow for the preparation of records and a psychological report.

At the sentencing hearing, the Crown and defence jointly recommended a parole ineligibility period of 18 years.

The court reviewed the circumstances of the offence, the impact on the victim’s family, and the background and mental health of Mr. Mitchell.

The court accepted the joint submission, imposing a life sentence with 18 years of parole ineligibility, a lifetime weapons prohibition, and a DNA order.

The appellant, M.J., appealed the dismissal of her habeas corpus application seeking Charter remedies for damages following her transfer between detention facilities while facing a charge of second-degree murder.

The application judge found the matter moot as M.J. had been released on bail prior to the hearing.

The Court of Appeal found no error in the application judge’s conclusion and dismissed the appeal.

This decision concerns the prosecution of Archie McKay for five counts of first-degree murder following a fatal house fire in Kitchenuhkoosib Inninuwug, Ontario.

The court reviews extensive circumstantial evidence, including expert testimony, extrinsic misconduct, and ante-mortem statements, to determine whether McKay deliberately set the fire and possessed the requisite intent for murder.

The court finds McKay guilty of second-degree murder in relation to all five victims, concluding that the evidence does not establish planning and deliberation or criminal harassment necessary for first-degree murder.

This decision concerns the sentencing of Carlos Guerra Guerra for second degree murder, assault with a weapon, obstructing justice, and intimidation of a justice participant, arising from a fatal shooting at a bush party in London, Ontario.

The court reviews the facts, aggravating and mitigating factors, and relevant case law, ultimately imposing a life sentence with 16 years of parole ineligibility, plus additional concurrent and consecutive sentences for the other offences.

The decision provides a detailed analysis of the application of sentencing principles, the impact of gun violence, and the effect of harsh pre-trial custody conditions.

The appellant, Mustafa Ahmed, was convicted of second degree murder following a judge-alone trial.

The case involved a fatal shooting during a bar altercation, captured on CCTV.

The trial judge rejected Ahmed’s claims of self-defence and provocation, finding his testimony not credible or reliable.

On appeal, Ahmed argued that the trial judge made palpable and overriding errors in assessing the CCTV evidence and misapplied the law regarding his subjective beliefs.

The Court of Appeal found no such errors and dismissed the appeal.

The Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed Malcolm Copeland’s appeal from his conviction for second degree murder.

The appeal centered on whether the trial judge erred in refusing to instruct the jury on the partial defence of provocation.

The court held that there was no air of reality to the defence of provocation, as the evidence did not support that Copeland lost self-control and acted on the sudden before his passion could cool.

The court found that the evidence was consistent with self-defence, not provocation, and that the trial judge properly applied the law.

This decision sets the period of parole ineligibility for Godfrey Sig-od, convicted of first-degree murder of his ex-wife and second-degree murder of his daughter.

The court reviews the facts, the character of the offender, the circumstances of the offence, the recommendations of the jury, and relevant case law.

The court imposes life imprisonment without parole for 25 years for the first-degree murder and life imprisonment with parole ineligibility for 18 years for the second-degree murder, emphasizing the gravity of the offence, breach of trust, and the need for denunciation and deterrence.

The Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed the conviction and sentence appeals of Corey and Curtis Murray, who were convicted of second degree murder in the death of Trevor Seraphine.

The main issues on appeal concerned the police failure to preserve certain surveillance video evidence and the Crown’s late disclosure of the loss of this evidence.

The court found that while the loss of evidence breached the appellants’ Charter rights, the trial judge’s remedial jury instructions were adequate and a stay of proceedings was not warranted.

The court also upheld the 20-year parole ineligibility periods, finding them fit in the circumstances.

The Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed the conviction and sentence appeals of Habibullah Daniel Ahmadi, who was convicted of second degree murder for the fatal assault of Sara Anne Widholm.

The appeal focused on whether the trial judge erred in using Ahmadi’s out-of-court statements as circumstantial evidence of guilt, failed to consider critical evidence on intent, and improperly relied on after-the-fact conduct.

The Court found no legal error in the trial judge’s treatment of the evidence, including the assessment of intoxication and intent, and upheld the 13-year parole ineligibility period.

The Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed Riley Kostuk’s appeal from his conviction for second degree murder.

Kostuk argued that his right to counsel under s. 10(b) of the Charter was violated, that the trial judge erred in admitting evidence of prior discreditable conduct, and that evidence of his schizophrenia was improperly admitted or not properly limited.

The court found no error in the trial judge’s rulings, holding that the appellant had an operating mind when consulting counsel, that the prior conduct evidence was properly admitted for motive and identity, and that the references to mental health did not prejudice the trial.

The appeal was dismissed.

The court sentenced Jordan James O’Brien-Tobin to life imprisonment with 18 years of parole ineligibility for the second degree murder of Gabriel Magalhaes, a 16-year-old stranger, at a Toronto subway station.

The decision details the aggravating and mitigating factors, including the random and brutal nature of the offence, the devastating impact on the victim’s family and community, the offender’s extensive criminal record, and his personal and mental health background.

The court found that the protection of society, denunciation, and deterrence required a period of parole ineligibility above the statutory minimum.

The court sentenced James William Schwalm to life imprisonment with no eligibility for parole for 20 years after he pleaded guilty to the second degree murder of his wife, Ashley Schwalm.

The decision details the planning and execution of the murder, the subsequent cover-up, and the devastating impact on the victim’s family and children.

The court considered aggravating and mitigating factors, including the calculated nature of the offence, the absence of prior criminal record, and the guilty plea, ultimately finding that a parole ineligibility period above the usual range for intimate partner homicides was warranted.

The decision concerns a defence motion for a directed verdict of acquittal on a charge of second degree murder.

The accused, Daniel Keefe, argued that the evidence could not support a finding of second degree murder and that only manslaughter should be left to the jury.

The court reviewed the evidence, including witness testimony, the 911 call, and expert pathology evidence, and applied the legal test for a directed verdict.

The court concluded that there was sufficient evidence on which a properly instructed jury could convict of second degree murder, and dismissed the motion.

The court sentenced Lance Burkhard for second-degree murder following a guilty plea after a successful appeal of his first-degree murder conviction.

The decision details the facts of the offence, the aggravating and mitigating factors, the character and rehabilitation of the offender, and the impact on the victim’s family.

The court imposed a life sentence with 12 years of parole ineligibility, considering the seriousness of the offence, Burkhard’s criminal record, his rehabilitation efforts, and the harsh conditions of pre-sentence custody, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.