A judge decided Wednesday Terror Squad gang member Shaylin Sutherland-Kayseas, who’s been convicted of murdering a Saskatoon man, will be ineligible for parole for a minimum of 12 years.
Justice Shawn Smith said “to be fair, Shaylin’s journey to adulthood was not framed by any meaningful guidance” and also told Dylan Phillips’ friends and family “the law will be served today.”
The defence sought the 10-year minimum before Sutherland-Kayseas can receive parole, while the Crown argued parole eligibility be set at 15 years.
In September, Smith found Sutherland-Kayseas guilty of second-degree murder in the October 2016 shooting death of 26-year-old Dylan Phillips.
The Crown argued Sutherland-Kayseas and two others went to Phillips’ parents’ home in the 1400-block of Avenue G North to rob the victim. It was alleged Phillips was selling drugs in Terror Squad territory.
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In his written decision on parole eligibility, the judge referenced the killer’s childhood trauma, including negative experiences in foster care.
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“The reality is that by the time Shaylin entered her teens, she was essentially feral,” Smith wrote.
Noting her criminal record, the judge said “it evidences an evolving appetite for mayhem and violence.”
“There is no question Shaylin has embraced gang life and all the violence and chaos that it entails,” he wrote.
However, he stated the woman’s “level of personal moral turpitude may be less than otherwise because she never really had a chance.”
Crown prosecutor Melodie Kujawa said the judge’s decision makes a statement, as it’s above the minimum length of time.
“The ultimate decision of when she gets out will be determined by the parole board and they will take into account all kinds of factors,” Kujawa said.
“And how she does in prison will determine when she gets out, or if she gets out.”
A second-degree murder conviction carries an automatic life sentence.
She is also sentenced to two years in prison for each of the two counts of assault against Phillips’ family.
With files from Meaghan Craig
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