Erica Vella provides an update on the Supreme Court ruling on consecutive sentences in Canada.
The man who killed six men and injured over a dozen others after storming a Quebec City mosque will be eligible for parole after 25 years after a Supreme Court struck down a Criminal Code provision on consecutive sentencing for multiple murderers.Quebec City mosque shooter Alexandre Bissonnette can apply for parole after 25 years
The unanimous high court decision happened May 27 and declared unconstitutional a 2011 provision that would allow a judge, in the event of multiple murders, to impose a life sentence and parole ineligibility periods of 25 years to be served consecutively for each murder.Quebec City Muslim community still healing 5 years after mosque shooting – Jan 28, 2022
“The Supreme Court said that was not a legitimate option, given what the statute said and … the court determined that it was cruel and unusual punishment and had to be struck down,” said Kent Roach, a professor of law at the University of Toronto faculty of law.Supreme Court of Canada murder ruling could impact Alberta criminal cases – May 27, 2022
“The court also opened the door for everyone who has been sentenced under this no discount for multiple murder provision basically to have their sentence reduced to the ordinary mandatory minimum, which is life imprisonment, ineligibility for parole for 25 years.”