EDMONTON – A man convicted for his role in a violent escape from the Whitecourt courthouse has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.
On Feb. 26, 2013, Clayton Ness and another man escaped custody from a holding cell at the Whitecourt courthouse. Ness shot Sheriff Allan Buttree’s finger off during a struggle in which Ness managed to get control of the officer’s gun.
Panic ensued when a second inmate fired shots that went through a wall into the adjoining courtroom.
The pair then fled in the sheriff’s van before they were caught by RCMP a few kilometres outside Whitecourt.
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The prosecution and the defence jointly recommended the sentence for Ness, who pleaded guilty to several charges, including aggravated assault. He was originally in court before the escape on drug-related charges.
Jake MacIntyre is facing several charges in connection to the incident. He’s scheduled to go to trial in November.
With files from The Canadian Press