Judge issues stern warning to bar-brawling woman
Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Apr 06/01) - A 24-year-old Yellowknife woman walked out of court Tuesday with a stern warning and a conditional discharge for a brutal attack on another woman.
Joanne Lee Black plead guilty to assault causing bodily harm for an incident at the Gold Range bar in December.
During a drunken altercation which Black doesn't remember, she struck another woman on the head with a bottle of beer. The bottle shattered and deeply gashed the woman's face. The cut required extensive stitching.
Defence lawyer Andrew Fox told court his client epitomized "a good person who has done a really bad thing."
He noted that Black cares for her 10-year-old son, plus three teenaged relatives on her own.
Before Judge Robert Halifax passed sentence, Black spoke briefly to the courtroom. Dressed neatly in light grey slacks and a blue sweater, her dark hair tied neatly into a ponytail, she apologized for the attack.
Voice trembling, she told the court that she would apologize to the victim personally, but her bail conditions forbade her from having any contact with the victim.
"I'm sorry, and I can't do anything to make it right," Black said, barely holding back sobs.
Halifax deliberated privately for 30 minutes before handing down his sentence.
He noted Black had no previous criminal record, but added "this is a serious matter. Obviously (the victim) is going to be carrying the results of this for a long time. She'll probably be scarred for life."
Halifax said he considered sending Black to jail, but decided to grant a discharge and sentence her to 18 months of probation and 100 hours of community service. Halifax also suggested to probation services that a meeting be arranged so that Black could apologize personally to the woman she attacked.
"Don't disappoint me," Halifax told Black. "I've stuck my neck out here."
