Surrey Six killers could receive consecutive life sentences: Legal analyst
Posted October 2, 2014 2:47 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Now that Cody Haevischer and Matthew Johnston have each been found guilty of six counts of first-degree murder for the killings of six people in Surrey in 2007, many are now wondering what sentencing will look like for the pair.
The convictions carry automatic life sentences, and News1130 legal analyst Michael Shapray says in this case the two could actually get life in prison.
Changes made to the Criminal Code back in 2011 means the judge could impose consecutive sentences that translates to no parole for 25 years, which means they’d never be able to apply for release.
Shapray adds the defense would base an appeal on any errors committed by the judge. “If they do feel there were errors made either on that or with respect to any pre-trial rulings about the admissibility over evidence, that could be the grounds for an appeal.”
“I believe there will be arguments made by the Crown that this is the type of case where the parole ineligibility period should be extended because it’s a case involving multiple murders.”
Even though the Surrey Six verdict is in, Neil MacKenzie with Crown Counsel says prosecutors know the final legal battle isn’t over.
“Today’s verdict is not the conclusion of the proceedings in this case in particular or the proceedings generally in relation to this incident, however it’s clearly a significant step along the road to the conclusions of the prosecutions.”
MacKenzie says there were a total of nine prosecutors working on the case, and today’s conviction reflects all the hard work put into the case, “by both police investigators throughout in the course of their investigation and the prosecutors who have worked on the case.”
Lawyers for Haevischer and Johnston have already filed a motion of abuse of process which needs to be dealt with before sentencing, which is expected to happen sometime next year.
