Sentencing hearings for Nicholas Bell-Wright continued Monday, after the judge delayed the session last week upon hearing there were 96 victim impact statements.
Bell-Wright pleaded guilty in November to killing Cooper Nemeth in February 2016.
Nemeth was shot in the head twice after a house party and his body was found in a garbage can nearly a week later.
READ MORE: Winnipeg man pleads guilty in murder of Cooper Nemeth
Justice Glenn Joyal opened court Monday morning with discussions on the admissibility of the number of victim impact statements.
The Crown presented 96 submissions last week, surprising the judge and the defence counsel.
Justice Joyal expressed his displeasure at learning of the number of statements with minimal notice, and asked the Crown to whittle them down.
“How was it that 96 victim impact statements came to your office and the court wasn’t advised until Friday?” Justice Joyal asked the Crown.
After learning that the defence was not opposed to considering all 96 statements, he ruled that all of the statements would be considered admissible in this case, with 16 to be read aloud in court.
“Victims do have a voice, and they will be heard in the victim impact statements,” Justice Joyal said.
Nemeth’s family has been vocal in asserting they wanted to see all of the submissions taken into account.
The next date in Bell-Wright’s sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday.
- Budget 2024 failed to spark ‘political reboot’ for Liberals, polling suggests
- Train goes up in flames while rolling through London, Ont. Here’s what we know
- Peel police chief met Sri Lankan officer a court says ‘participated’ in torture
- Wrong remains sent to ‘exhausted’ Canadian family after death on Cuba vacation
Comments