The family of Deborah Irene Yorke left the courtroom in anger on Friday as the man convicted of killing their sister in 2018 was granted the ability to apply for parole after serving a minimum of 10 years.
Brandon Jake Hollohan of Dartmouth, N.S., was convicted of second-degree murder and received a life sentence on Mar. 21. On Friday, Hollohan appeared virtually from his jail cell, holding a phone to his ear to listen to the judge’s decision on parole.
The family of the victim sat in the front row of the Supreme Court.
“I can’t hold it together today,” said Cheryl Campbell, sister of Yorke, outside of the courtroom.
“Ten years is what he gets… for murder, for a brutal murder, putting us through stuff for five frigging years.”
Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Kevin Coady said factors including Hollohan’s “long-standing efforts” in recovering from a severe addiction and remorse for his actions had led to his decision to grant the 28-year-old man the 10-year period before he can apply for parole — a minimum for a second-degree murder charge.
The crime started when then-23-year-old Hollohan entered Yorke’s apartment while she was sleeping. The masked man repeatedly bludgeoned her with a hammer and stabbed her with a knife. The 62-year-old woman suffered more than 60 blunt and sharp injuries to her head, face and neck, before she eventually collapsed in the hallway.
The judge noted Friday that Hollohan was addicted to opioids and had no other criminal record at the time of the offence. He mentioned that Yorke had once been friends with Hollohan, even allowing him to stay with her for several months.
“She had been kind to him when he needed it the most,” Coady continued. “The level of violence was extreme given Mr. Hollohan’s non-violent past. l am satisfied that drugs played a role as there are no other plausible explanations.”
This assessment didn’t sit well with the victim’s family.
“When is our justice system going to stand up and say people need to be accountable for what they did regardless of what drugs, what alcohol, or who put them under pressure?” said another sibling of Yorke, Dawn Fraser, following the decision.
“Again, our justice system is all in favour of the defendant, even if they’re 100 per cent guilty.”
Despite expressing the reasons that supported his decision for granting the minimum parole eligibility, Coady still said Hollohan murdered Yorke in “the most violent way” and described the scene of the crime to be “akin to a horror movie.”
The judge said he received 24 letters of reference in support of Hollohan, one in particular from a former provincial court judge who now works with the Seven Steps Program, who said Hollohan “honestly faced the truth about his life and is determined to change. Indeed, he has implemented some changes and is working to effect more changes.”
In August, Hollohan was referred to a restorative justice program, a first in Nova Scotia for a convicted murderer.
“At the end of the day, Mr. Hollohan is serving a life sentence, it’s going to be a long road ahead of him in terms of his rehabilitation and getting the necessary programs so he can reintegrate into society,” said senior crown attorney Rob Kennedy.
“Ten years is no guarantee that he will be released in 10 years, that’ll be up to parole authorities.”
— With files from Callum Smith and The Canadian Press.
- 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