IQALUIT - Pingoatuk Kolola was sentenced on March 12 to life in prison without eligibility for parole for 25 years for shooting and killing RCMP Const. Douglas Scott in Kimmirut in 2007.

Pingoatuk Kolola is led out of the Nunavut Court of Justice after being sentenced to life in prison on March 12. Kolola was found guilty of first-degree murder last week in the shooting death of RCMP Const. Douglas Scott in Kimmirut in November 2007. - Kassina Ryder/NNSL photo

Justice Robert Kilpatrick described Kolola's sentence as a "living death."

"Instead of the exhilarating freedom of the land, a freedom that only a hunter knows, Mr. Kolola will be surrounded by cold concrete and steel bars," he said.

"Mr. Kolola's children will, unfortunately, grow up without him."

The 11-member jury found him guilty of first-degree murder on Thursday after three days of deliberations. Jurors had to determine whether to convict Kolola of either first-degree murder or manslaughter.

"We also acknowledge the hard work of the jury," Crown prosecutor Susanne Boucher said outside the courtroom. "They have given several weeks of their lives towards this case and they obviously put some very thoughtful and careful deliberation into the matter and we can be confident that justice was done in the case."

Jurors could be heard sobbing loudly as they left the courtroom after delivering the verdict. Members of both Kolola's and Scott's families also cried.

On the night of Nov. 5, 2007, Kolola and his spouse had been fighting because she was threatening to have Kolola removed from their home, the court heard.

Kolola then drank a 375 ml bottle of alcohol and left the house at approximately 10 p.m., bringing his baby son, Adam, his .30-06 rifle and a diaper bag with him.

Kolola said he brought the gun because he intended to kill himself.

He drove around Kimmirut in a truck until it got stuck near a pile of lumber. When an RCMP truck arrived at approximately 11 p.m., Kolola said he shot in the direction of the truck while holding the baby.

At the opening of the trial, Kolola attempted to plead guilty to manslaughter. The defence admitted he fired the shot but argued he did not intend to kill the officer, and only meant to warn him.

Scott's family said they were satisfied with the verdict of first-degree murder.

"We're very pleased to hear the verdict of guilty in the first degree murder of our son and brother Douglas Scott," Scott's mother Marla said during a press conference after the trial.

Although it will never reverse the loss of Dougie, it is a comfort to know that the person responsible has been held accountable to the extent of the law," she said.

The Scott family requested their victim impact statements to the court to be closed to the public.

Defence lawyer Andy Mahar said in his 15 years as a lawyer in the territory, Kolola's is the saddest case he has ever had to deal with.

"A family lost a lovely young man; another family lost their father, six kids," he said.

"All for a moment of basically pointless violence and there's just no happy ending to this for anybody."

During sentencing, Kolola chose not to speak when Kilpatrick asked if he had any final words.

Mahar said Kolola had "no self-pity" and "wants the jury and witnesses from Kimmirut to know he blames no one for this but himself."

In her statement to the court during sentencing, Boucher said the sentence reflects the vulnerability of Nunavut's RCMP officers.

"By virtue of their isolation they are in vulnerable positions," she said.

At a press conference on Thursday following the verdict, V Division Chief Supt. Steve McVarnock said a clearer backup policy for RCMP officers was in the works prior to the deaths of both Scott and Hay River RCMP Const. Christopher Worden, who died responding to a call in Hay River in October 2007.

McVarnock said their deaths "expedited the process."

"On Dec. 21, 2007, the RCMP released a national backup policy which clearly outlines the type of calls for service that members in the community would be expected to utilize a multi-member response to," he said.

The policy states two officers should respond to calls involving domestic disputes, weapons or threat of weapons, violence or threat of violence, calls to remote areas where there is no means of calling for help, or any situation an officer decides is risky.

McVarnock also said the verdict gave no pleasure to anyone involved in the case.

"I want to be very clear and resolute that what has happened here today in terms of an outcome does not bring any joy to anyone in this room," he said.

"What has happened here is a young man, a promising young officer, has lost his life, a family has lost a loved one, a community has gone through public scrutiny over the last couple years and the family of Ping Kolola and Ping himself are also significantly impacted by what's happened here today."

"When I look at that in whole, there are no winners."