Cooper Nemeth’s mom was in court Wednesday morning to face the man who took her son’s life.
Gaylene Nemeth was the first of more than a dozen people to read their victim impact statements at the sentencing hearing for Nicolas Bell-Wright.
Nemeth’s mom teared up as she described how she looks at Cooper’s spot on the kitchen table and realizes she’ll never make him another meal again, or hear him talk about school or hockey.
“Most of the time, I fight to breathe,” Gaylene Nemeth said. “The rest of the time, I’m not sure I want to. I just want to be Cooper’s Mum again.”
Nemeth’s mom said she doesn’t believe Bell-Wright feels any remorse.
An unprecedented 96 statements were admitted into court, 16 of which were read out loud.
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They will included family, close friends and four former hockey teammates.
Nemeth’s friends and family shared their sorrow with the judge, speaking of lives that had been disrupted and would continue to be empty as the years come and go.
Bell-Wright pleaded guilty in November to killing the teen in February 2016.
Nemeth was killed after leaving a house party in the early hours of Valentines Day 2016. He got into a car driven by Bell-Wright, who shot him twice and dumped his body in a nearby garbage can. His body was found a week later.
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The Crown is asking for the maximum sentence for Bell-Wright and many of Nemeth’s friends and family requested the same.
In reviewing the pre-sentencing report, the crown stated many factors that typically contribute to a person choosing the life of a drug dealer weren’t present.
By his own admission Bell-Wright has a good relationship with his family and no history of abuse.
Saying Nemeth’s killing was deliberate, the Crown wants Bell-Wright to be locked up for life with no chance of parole for sixteen years.
Prosecutors concluded their submission saying sentencing Nemeth’s murderer should set a precedent to deter other young people from considering a life of crime.
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