Man Sentenced for Killing Big River Band Member
Thursday, August 26, 2004 at 13:31
A Prince Albert-area man has been sentenced for causing the death of a Big River resident earlier this year.
20-year-old Curtis Brian Black will be spending the next five years behind bars after admitting to striking and killing a 48-year-old man earlier this year.
Calvin Raymond Smallboy of the Big River First Nation was discovered dead by police the morning of April 30th. He died of injuries to his abdominal area.
In Prince Albert Provincial Court this morning, the defense and the prosecution agreed a five-year sentence would be in the best interests of everyone since Black admitted his guilt to the court some time ago and appeared to show genuine remorse.
The lawyer for the accused stated that, in the early morning hours of April 30th, Black and his uncle were
drinking at Smallboy’s residence. Smallboy asked them to leave several times but they refused.
Sometime afterwards, Smallboy and Black got involved in an altercation. Black hit Smallboy a few times in the stomach and head and the man went down.
Black left the house soon after and it wasn’t until later that he discovered Smallboy had died of internal injuries.
Outside the courthouse today, Smallboy’s brother, Gordon, admitted he was confused by the sentence and that it was difficult to swallow. He says it has been difficult for the family to move on.
Black’s mother was also at today’s sentencing. She says her heart goes out to the family of the victim.
Curtis Brian Black is due to begin serving his sentence immediately.
He has been banned from owning a firearm for the rest of his life and a copy of his DNA will be kept on file.