File photo.
The man that 21-year-old Dakota Knife killed last fall was like a brother to him, according to defence statements made at Knife’s sentencing on Ahtahakoop Cree Nation on Monday.
Earlier this year, Knife entered a guilty plea to manslaughter for the shooting death of his cousin, 21-year-old Tyrone Jacob Knife. This was a lesser plea than his original charge of second-degree murder.
Dakota has received a 10-year sentence, with credit for 188 days of time served after legal aid and prosecution came to a joint submission.
Crown Prosecutor Fran Atkinson said it was a tearful sentencing, particularly when Dakota stood to address his family in court.
“He stood, turned around, and addressed his aunt and his mom,” Atkinson’s voice cracked as she recalled the events.
“He said he was so sorry.”
Atkinson says in her job it’s rare to see apologies like what took place in court in this case.
“It’s rare that it was so genuine,” she said.
The case’s agreed statement of facts describe Tyrone and Dakota drinking together at a house party on Ahtahkakoop on Sept. 2, 2015.
They got into a series of fights with other people before turning on each other after Dakota punched a woman they were with, who is named Sonya Tait.
Dakota was losing the fight when Tyrone stopped, but Dakota was “agitated and in his intoxicated stated indicated he was going to come back with a gun,” according to the case’s facts.
No one witnessed who shot out into the darkness near a trail on the reserve, but Dakota was soon after seen “straddling Tyrone while hitting him on the head with the gun,” the case’s facts read.
The facts say Dakota assaulted Tait when she tried to get him to stop, but was able to get away and get help for Tyrone.
STARS Air ambulance was called, but Tyrone perished before he could be transported.
The RCMP found a sawed-off .22 calibre rifle a feet away from Tyrone.