It was an emotional day in Lethbridge court as Jessica Lee Ann Praill pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the stabbing death of her mother, Shelley Kristine Praill. Jessica’s grandmother and sister sat in the courtroom crying as she spoke.
The court heard an agreed statement of facts that said Shelley and Jessica’s relationship had been strained for months.
The statement said they were arguing on the night of April 28, 2016. Shelley the retired to her bedroom after drinking heavily.
Court heard Jessica then armed herself with a knife from the kitchen and stabbed her mother once while she slept in her bed.
Shelley awoke and yelled down to her other daughter, Jennifer.
“She stabbed me, she stabbed me in the heart,” Shelley said.
An altercation between the two sisters ensued, then Jennifer took the knife away from Jessica.
When police and EMS arrived on scene, Shelley was transported to Chinook Regional Hospital where she died during an emergency surgery.
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An autopsy revealed she was stabbed once in the left side of her chest with four lacerations to her heart.
Court also heard from both the defence and Crown that Jessica was extremely cooperative with police from the beginning. In an interview, she said:
“I obviously killed her.”
A joint submission for sentencing was given to Judge Gerald Debow. He sentenced Jessica to eight years in prison.
Defence lawyer Tracy Hembroff said it has been a long process to come to this point, but there is a longer road ahead.
“These are all human beings,” Hembroff said. “This is their family, this was their story and there are repercussions for all of them. Very different, obviously: morally and legally for my client; personally, for her sister and the mother of the victim.”
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Hembroff told the courtroom that Jessica does not expect any sympathy and understands if there’s anger in the family.
Jennifer told the courtroom she just wants to give her sister a hug.