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Post by Sher on May 21, 2005 17:24:10 GMT -5
WINNIPEG -- A man who says he accidentally strangled his friend is appealing his conviction for manslaughter.
Everett McKay was sentenced April 7 to seven years in prison by Justice John Scurfield for killing Robert Zielke and hiding his body in a freezer.
The time served awaiting trial is counted as double time, meaning McKay is given credit for serving 4 1/2 years and would only serve a maximum of 30 more months.
In his appeal, McKay argues the judge erred by violating his rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He also argues the judge erred by allowing the jury to consider "post-event conduct," namely McKay cleaning up the crime scene and stuffing Zielke into the freezer.
During the trial, McKay said that during an argument he punched Zielke in the nose and then held him by the neck and jacket until he stopped moving. He said Zielke's death was an accident.
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Post by Sher on May 21, 2005 17:25:04 GMT -5
WINNIPEG -- A man convicted of strangling, stabbing and injecting a friend with what may have been drain cleaner is appealing his conviction and sentence.
Anthony Pulsifer, 23, was convicted March 18 of second-degree murder for killing Trevor Wiebe, 20. A jury also found him guilty of conspiracy to commit murder.
Three other people are awaiting trial on the same charges.
Pulsifer argues his conviction was contrary to the law, evidence and weight of evidence. He also argues the judge erred in allowing his videotaped statement to police to be played to jurors.
After his conviction, Justice Perry Schulman raised Pulsifer's parole eligibility to 15 years from 10, with consideration for time served. Schulman also sentenced him to 15 years for the conspiracy conviction, to be served concurrently. That sentence was "harsh and excessive," according to documents filed by Pulsifer's lawyer.
Wiebe was murdered Jan. 5, 2003. His frozen body was found in a field on Feb. 8, 2003.
During the videotaped interview with homicide detectives, Pulsifer said he was ordered to kill Wiebe over a drug dispute and threatened with death if he didn't comply.
On the tape, Pulsifer admitted he choked Wiebe with a shoelace, injected him with a substance that may have been a drain cleaner, then stabbed him.
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Post by Sher on Jun 2, 2005 7:47:49 GMT -5
WINNIPEG -- A high-profile Edmonton gang member, whose role in a Manitoba murder-for-hire plot was foiled hours before the scheduled hit, was sentenced yesterday to six years in prison.
Crown attorney Rajbir Dhillon called the discovery of the murder scheme "pure luck."
Shane Edward Steinhauer, 29, who had been a member of the Indian Posse in Edmonton, was convicted Tuesday of conspiracy to commit murder for his involvement in a plan to kill rival gang member Clarence (Shrimpy) Williams.
Acting on a tip, police arrested Steinhauer and several others Oct. 9, 2003, at Teaser's Burlesque Cabaret in Winnipeg.
Williams had left the Posse and helped form the rival Cash Money Brothers gang, said Dhillon.
Defence lawyer Mark Wasyliw said Steinhauer's role in the hit was to "watch the back" of other members involved.
"Now his family is in danger because of his co-operation with police," Wasyliw said, adding Steinhauer has renounced his gang membership.
Steinhauer has 50 prior convictions and a criminal record dating back to when he was 14 years old, court was told. With double credit given for pre-trial custody, Steinhauer has already done 40 months in custody. Justice Joan McKelvey sentenced him to 32 more months.
One other man faces trial, while conspiracy charges were dropped against five others arrested.
Steinhauer is well-known to Edmonton cops and northern Alberta Mounties. He and fellow gang member Travis Paquette, 23, were charged with attempted murder in October 2002 in connection with a drive-by shooting in which 10-year-old Paige Jackson was struck in the leg by a flying bullet in her family's Saddle Lake home. She recovered. Police said then the shooting might have been the result of a drug debt.
Steinhauer and Paquette pleaded guilty to a single count of careless use of a firearm and received four months in jail.
Steinhauer was also previously blamed for a series of Edmonton robberies and in 1998 he was fingered as a participant in a riot at the Edmonton Max prison.
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Post by Sher on Aug 5, 2005 8:42:53 GMT -5
WINNIPEG -- A father whose infant daughter died while in the care of her preschool-aged siblings was handed an 18-month suspended sentence yesterday.
Child abandonment cases rarely have consequences as tragic and extreme as that of Raven Halcrow, said the province's executive director of child welfare.
Seven-month-old Raven was found dead in her crib in December 2002.
"Of children who are abandoned, it's an unfortunate situation, but not a lot of them die," said Joy Cramer, of the Family Services department.
Raven's father, Lucian Pieters, pleaded guilty this week to abandoning his kids, though doctors couldn't connect Raven's death to his absence, Crown prosecutor Susan Helenchild told court.
Pieters, 34, left Raven and her two siblings alone to go to work at 5:45 a.m.
Their mother, Cassandra Halcrow, had been out drinking the night before and had to be rushed to hospital after passing out from alcohol poisoning.
No one was left to watch Raven and her two- and four-year-old siblings.
Pieters was unaware of what had happened to Cassandra and expected her home soon, court heard.
After finding out the children were alone, a relative was sent to check on them.
Pieters was given an 18-month suspended sentence to be followed by 18 months of supervised probation, as jointly recommended by the Crown and the defence.
"These children were so young, such tender years, that they deserved more from you as a father. You could have taken more steps," said Judge Ron Meyers.
Helenchild said Raven may have died from suffocation from her blanket.
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