A judge has sentenced a man to seven years behind bars for stabbing and killing a man on the Mistawasis First Nation over a decade ago.
Thirty-three-year-old Curtis Nataucappo showed no emotion as the verdict was delivered in a Prince Albert courtroom this morning.
He was officially given a sentence of nine years for the crime of manslaughter — but the judge gave him credit for 24 months time served.
Court heard that Nataucappo attacked 33-year-old Alexander Ronald Sanderson on the night of April 18th, 2001.
According to evidence given at the trial, Nataucappo stabbed Sanderson five times, including twice in the heart.
He then dragged Sanderson’s body out of his car, laid it beside a gravel road and headed to Saskatoon.
Crown prosecutor Cynthia Alexander called the crime “callous” and “deliberate”.
She also noted Nataucappo already had 45 criminal convictions at that point, and would later go on to record a total of 73 convictions before today’s sentencing.
Six family members of the deceased were in the courtroom today.
Ronald Sanderson’s nephew, Derek, says they all still miss him dearly:
“I’m happy for what the judge decided, but I wish it was longer. Oh well, we’ll go with the justice system — and, yes, now I can move on. Weight lifted off my family’s shoulder and, yes, life will move on now.”
Alexander explains this case was unique due to the amount of time that passed between the killing and the trial.
She notes one key witness died before the trial began:
“Oh, his role was quite important . . . so his evidence had to be presented to the jury in a unique way. I would say it’s not very often that those things occur within a trial, but there are safeguards surrounding that evidence. There was three days of voir dire and a decision by the trial judge as to whether that evidence could be placed before the jury. So the deceased eye-witnesses’ evidence is something the jury considered in convicting Mr. Nataucappo.”
Meantime, defence lawyer Greg Chovin says he is sure Nataucappo is disappointed with the verdict, but adds “it was what it was”.