EDMONTON – It was another emotional day for friends and family of Dianne McClements during the second day of sentencing for her killer.
The prosecution has argued the man, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, should be sentenced as an adult even though he was 17 years old at the time of the murder. The prosecution has pointed to evidence from a forensic psychiatrist as the primary reason for the request to be granted.
The psychiatrist said he believes the young man is at high risk to re-offend in the short term. The man has had a long period to show remorse but hasn’t displayed any, instead blaming his actions on a psychotic episode, even though there has been no evidence of such an episode, the psychiatrist said.
McClements, 61, was hired to care for the young man. She was stabbed in the basement of a Camrose group home in May 2012. The 17-year-old resident attacked her with a paring knife. When the blade broke, he used a butcher knife.
The killer then stole McClements’ vehicle and drove to Vermillion, where he confessed to three different people, telling one person he had been having “a bad day.”
READ MORE: Youth pleads guilty to murdering Camrose group home worker
On Thursday, victim impact statements were submitted. McClements’ son, Jef, told the courtroom he felt uncomfortable with his mom’s career, but McClements told her son it “was something she loved to do, helped kids and others find themselves and a way back into this world.”
The victim’s sister said she suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for two years after the murder.
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McClements’ killer sat motionless in court, staring at his feet throughout the proceeding.
On Thursday afternoon, the court was scheduled to hear from a doctor who performed a psychiatric assessment on the killer.
An adult sentence would mean life in prison with the eligibility for parole after seven years. If he’s sentenced as a youth, the maximum sentence would be seven years, with four years of custody and three years of additional supervision.
The accused addressed the victim’s family, saying he is severely pained for the devastation he caused, adding he is ready to face the consequences of his actions.
The judge has reserved his decision. An arraignment has been set for Dec. 1.
With files from Kent Morrison and Tom Vernon
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