Two men have been found guilty in the 2014 shooting death of Clayton James Bear in Prince Albert, Sask.
The jury took less than a day to find Orren Johnson, 28, guilty of first-degree murder and Jordan Herron, 23, guilty of second-degree murder.
Bear, 17, was shot at a house party in the northern Saskatchewan city.
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Herron’s eyes filled with tears as he embraced his family members from the prisoner’s dock, while Johnson, who did not appear to have family present, showed little reaction to the verdict and held his head high throughout the proceedings.
The jurors were split on their recommendations for parole for Herron, with seven recommending the minimum 10 years, one recommending the maximum 25 years and four abstaining.
Johnson is automatically ineligible for parole for 25 years.
Herron’s sentencing hearing is set for Thursday, while Johnson will be formally sentenced March 22.
Bear’s aunt, Hilda Ross, said the decision came as a big relief.
“I don’t have anger,” Ross told reporters outside court.
“I did at first, so did everybody else, but with a lot of thought and prayer and the closeness of my family I don’t hold nothing against them.”
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Johnson’s lawyer Lisa Trach said she was surprised by the jury’s decision.
“I can’t even begin to speculate how they came to the conclusion that they did,” Trach said. “I was quite surprised by it, and I don’t think it was supported by the evidence.”
Herron’s lawyer, Mary McAuley, called the verdict “very disappointing” and is considering an appeal.
“I was expecting, at the most, a manslaughter,” McAuley said. “It was very sketchy evidence, because all of the witnesses always said something different.”
McAuley said none of the witnesses identified Herron as the shooter, while other testimony placed the gun directly in Johnson’s hand.