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No matter what sentence Brandon Ethier receives for the murder of Joshua Briere, no prison term will fill the void Briere’s death has left on his grieving family.
“The jury gave the right verdict, guilty of murder in the second-degree, yet it still doesn’t bring back our Josh,” said his mother Holly Briere, who attended hearings with her family throughout the four-week trial.
Superior Court Justice Kevin Phillips will deliver the terms of Ethier’s life sentence Friday after considering arguments on the length of his parole ineligibility.
In a statement, the Briere family thanked investigators Sgt. Richard Dugal and Det. Chris Benson for “making this horrific tragedy more bearable … we are truly grateful for each of them.”
Briere’s family extended their thanks to Crown prosecutors Caroline Thibault and Bruce Lee-Shanok, who made arguments Thursday for a sentence with parole ineligibility for 12 years, a lifetime weapons ban and a DNA sample for a national databank.
Ethier’s defence lawyer Doug Baum said Ethier had accepted responsibility for Briere’s death, previously pleading guilty to manslaughter in the Oct. 22, 2016 stabbing at a Clyde Avenue apartment the two men shared.
Ethier had testified in his own defence, telling the jury he spent the day and night drinking heavily, smoking weed and snorting cocaine at a birthday party they hosted for a mutual friend. He told the jury the 3 a.m. killing was accidental, but two partygoers who testified as Crown witnesses told another story.
A family photo of Joshua Brière.
Daulton Boudreau, whose 23rd birthday they were celebrating that night, and Briere’s then-17-year-old brother Joel Briere, both testified they saw Ethier storm out of his bedroom as a verbal argument escalated between the two roommates. Ethier stabbed the unarmed Briere twice with a 15-cm hunting knife, first through the arm, then fatally through Briere’s lower ribcage, piercing his heart.
“There’s deep anguish, sorrow and pain knowing the terror Josh faced in his last hour, and knowing that we will never see our son on this earth again,” said Holly Briere in a statement. “I still have trouble taking it in. Josh only knew Ethier for a short time before they moved in together, living together for only two months. Who knew he was capable of such a horrific act.”
The Briere family also noted the pathology report from Dr. Christopher Milroy, who reported Briere’s alcohol level as “common in social drinking” on the night of his death.
In Thursday’s sentencing hearing, the Crown said Ethier’s actions were “completely out of proportion to any possible threat” he could have faced from Briere, who had his back to the wall, and Ethier showed no concern for Briere after the stabbing.
“Quite the opposite,” said prosecutor Thibault, who noted in the aftermath of the stabbing, Ethier yelled at Briere’s girlfriend, put on his hoodie, tucked the murder weapon into his belt and fled as Briere lay dying in the street in his brother’s arms.
The Crown noted the deep impact the murder has had on Briere’s family. In victim impact statements, Holly said her son’s death left the family “broken.”
His father Denis Briere called the loss “devastating for the family … Our family will never be complete.”
Briere had a young daughter with a former partner who also gave a victim impact statement, saying while the two were no longer a couple, Briere’s death will permanently affect the toddler as she begins to ask questions about her father.
The girl’s mother asked that both names remain private.
“Josh had a dynamic, outgoing personality, caring and sensitive to the needs of others,” Holly said. “He had a big, loving heart. His brothers, his daughter, and his father and I will forever love him, and we miss him terribly. Our lives will never be the same.”
Ethier, a small-time cocaine dealer feeding his own habit at the time of the killing, told the jury he was high on cocaine that night, and later tried to kill himself by snorting fentanyl after fleeing the crime scene.
He apologized to Briere’s grieving family from the prisoner’s box Thursday.
“Words can’t describe how sorry I am,” said Ethier, now 29, with members of his own family present throughout the trial.
“I pray every day for Josh’s daughter … I can’t take that night back and I wish I could.”
He also thanked Briere’s mother for the advice she offered him from the witness stand.
“I’m going to change my life and I’m very, very sorry,” he said.
Baum said his client has “always (shown) a recognition of wrongdoing and a recognition of remorse.”
The Crown asked the judge to consider Ethier’s prior criminal record — including details that were not shared with the jury — demonstrating “a history of violence (and) a pattern of disrespect for the justice system.”
Ethier served time in 2008 and 2010 for robbery and assault with a weapon, and was convicted in 2012 with breaching a court order.
He was found guilty by jury last week of second-degree murder.
ahelmer@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/helmera
查看原文...
“The jury gave the right verdict, guilty of murder in the second-degree, yet it still doesn’t bring back our Josh,” said his mother Holly Briere, who attended hearings with her family throughout the four-week trial.
Superior Court Justice Kevin Phillips will deliver the terms of Ethier’s life sentence Friday after considering arguments on the length of his parole ineligibility.
In a statement, the Briere family thanked investigators Sgt. Richard Dugal and Det. Chris Benson for “making this horrific tragedy more bearable … we are truly grateful for each of them.”
Briere’s family extended their thanks to Crown prosecutors Caroline Thibault and Bruce Lee-Shanok, who made arguments Thursday for a sentence with parole ineligibility for 12 years, a lifetime weapons ban and a DNA sample for a national databank.
Ethier’s defence lawyer Doug Baum said Ethier had accepted responsibility for Briere’s death, previously pleading guilty to manslaughter in the Oct. 22, 2016 stabbing at a Clyde Avenue apartment the two men shared.
Ethier had testified in his own defence, telling the jury he spent the day and night drinking heavily, smoking weed and snorting cocaine at a birthday party they hosted for a mutual friend. He told the jury the 3 a.m. killing was accidental, but two partygoers who testified as Crown witnesses told another story.
A family photo of Joshua Brière.
Daulton Boudreau, whose 23rd birthday they were celebrating that night, and Briere’s then-17-year-old brother Joel Briere, both testified they saw Ethier storm out of his bedroom as a verbal argument escalated between the two roommates. Ethier stabbed the unarmed Briere twice with a 15-cm hunting knife, first through the arm, then fatally through Briere’s lower ribcage, piercing his heart.
“There’s deep anguish, sorrow and pain knowing the terror Josh faced in his last hour, and knowing that we will never see our son on this earth again,” said Holly Briere in a statement. “I still have trouble taking it in. Josh only knew Ethier for a short time before they moved in together, living together for only two months. Who knew he was capable of such a horrific act.”
The Briere family also noted the pathology report from Dr. Christopher Milroy, who reported Briere’s alcohol level as “common in social drinking” on the night of his death.
In Thursday’s sentencing hearing, the Crown said Ethier’s actions were “completely out of proportion to any possible threat” he could have faced from Briere, who had his back to the wall, and Ethier showed no concern for Briere after the stabbing.
“Quite the opposite,” said prosecutor Thibault, who noted in the aftermath of the stabbing, Ethier yelled at Briere’s girlfriend, put on his hoodie, tucked the murder weapon into his belt and fled as Briere lay dying in the street in his brother’s arms.
The Crown noted the deep impact the murder has had on Briere’s family. In victim impact statements, Holly said her son’s death left the family “broken.”
His father Denis Briere called the loss “devastating for the family … Our family will never be complete.”
Briere had a young daughter with a former partner who also gave a victim impact statement, saying while the two were no longer a couple, Briere’s death will permanently affect the toddler as she begins to ask questions about her father.
The girl’s mother asked that both names remain private.
“Josh had a dynamic, outgoing personality, caring and sensitive to the needs of others,” Holly said. “He had a big, loving heart. His brothers, his daughter, and his father and I will forever love him, and we miss him terribly. Our lives will never be the same.”
Ethier, a small-time cocaine dealer feeding his own habit at the time of the killing, told the jury he was high on cocaine that night, and later tried to kill himself by snorting fentanyl after fleeing the crime scene.
He apologized to Briere’s grieving family from the prisoner’s box Thursday.
“Words can’t describe how sorry I am,” said Ethier, now 29, with members of his own family present throughout the trial.
“I pray every day for Josh’s daughter … I can’t take that night back and I wish I could.”
He also thanked Briere’s mother for the advice she offered him from the witness stand.
“I’m going to change my life and I’m very, very sorry,” he said.
Baum said his client has “always (shown) a recognition of wrongdoing and a recognition of remorse.”
The Crown asked the judge to consider Ethier’s prior criminal record — including details that were not shared with the jury — demonstrating “a history of violence (and) a pattern of disrespect for the justice system.”
Ethier served time in 2008 and 2010 for robbery and assault with a weapon, and was convicted in 2012 with breaching a court order.
He was found guilty by jury last week of second-degree murder.
ahelmer@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/helmera
查看原文...
