One of five prisoners accused of killing another inmate at the Saskatchewan Federal Penitentiary in Prince Albert during a riot has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and has been sentenced to an additional ten years in prison.
Court documents say that Kelfert Watetch of the Piapot First Nation and four others entered the cell of Jason Bird, during a riot involving 200 inmates in December 2016 and brutally beat and stabbed Bird to death.
“Mr. Bird was not doing anything. He was not participating in the riot. He was not arguing with the accused or any of the other individuals with him. There was no evidence that Mr. Bird had had a previous altercation or a history of issues with any of the people who entered his cell that day,” Justice D.E. LaBach said in sentencing. “The accused and others seized an opportunity to perpetrate a brutal, unprovoked and senseless act of violence on an unsuspecting victim who by all accounts was minding his own business and staying in his cell, while all hell was breaking loose in the penitentiary.”
Bird died of blunt force trauma to the head and stab wounds to his chest.
“The attack was violent, vicious and relentless. It was five inmates swarming one in closed quarters. Mr. Bird was repeatedly struck and stabbed. He suffered injuries to his head, neck, chest and back. There was a lot of blood on the walls and the floor of his cell. It must have all been Mr. Bird’s. There was no evidence that Mr. Bird fought back or that the accused, or any of those that were with him, suffered any injuries,” LaBach wrote.
A Gladue report says Watetch did have a troubled childhood.
“His father has a lengthy and violent criminal record and has spent a large portion of his life incarcerated. I have no information about his mother. The accused never resided with his biological parents but moved around to numerous homes on the Piapot First Nation. His criminal offending began at age 14. As a youth, he committed mainly property related offences. Upon becoming an adult, his offending became more violent. In 2010, he was convicted of robbery; in 2013, of manslaughter. He has spent most of his adult life incarcerated,” stated LaBach.
The other four accused continue to maintain their not guilty pleas.
(PHOTO: Post riot damage. Courtesy of the Office of the Correctional Investigator Annual Report 2017-18.)