Lucien Cranechief sentenced to 4.5 years behind bars in Lethbridge case

A sentence was set to be handed down in another high-profile case in Lethbridge Wednesday.

Lucien Cranechief, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Sept. in the death of Cynthia Badarm, was sentenced to four-and-a-half-years behind bars.

READ MORE: Lucien Crane Chief enters guilty plea in death of Cynthia Badarm

The defence lawyer applied for a delay, stating his client wasn’t giving him clear instructions on how to proceed and wanted his client sent for a independent fitness assessment, which gauges a persons mental state. The judge denied the request.

Defence lawyer Telmo dos Santos said he found the judges decision disappointing. He added his client has severe mental deficiencies and suffers from neurological problems.

“He does have a lengthy criminal past, but he has never gotten the supports he’s needed to break the cycle, and he didn’t get the supports he needed this time either so it won’t change,” dos Santos said.

READ MORE: Police arrest man wanted for murder of Lethbridge woman

The defense also asked to be withdrawn from the case, again questioning Cranechief’s ability to understand the proceedings to properly instruct him.

The judge also denied that request, saying Cranechief showed he does understand the proceeding during a ‘fitness assessment’, before he pleaded guilty.

The judge also noted Cranechief has over 100 previous convictions, many of them for violent offenses.

In the end, the judge went with a joint submission from the crown and defence, sentencing Cranechief to four-and-a-half-years in prison.

With credit for time served, he has one-year and one month left to serve.

Cranechief also has to comply with a DNA order and was given a lifetime ban on possessing weapons.