Deschenes sentencing set for December 6
Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services
Iqaluit (Nov 06/00) - The jury in Nunavut's first murder trial returned with a guilty verdict for manslaughter last Thursday.
Mary Deschenes, 40, was charged second degree murder April 23, 1999 after her common-law spouse, Gilles Bergeron, was found dead in the couple's home following a domestic dispute. He died of a single stab wound to the heart.
Evidence at the week-long trial in the Nunavut Court of Justice described Bergeron as jealous and violent when drunk. He often hit Deschenes and tore her clothing.
Deschenes' daughter sat behind her mother during the trial. Both wept as Deschenes testified about the violent and abusive nine-month relationship.
Crown prosecutor Richard Meredith found inaccuracies in Deschenes' testimony and described her as angry and fed up with the abuse.
Justice Robert Kilpatrick presided over Nunavut's told the jury they could return with three possible verdicts: guilty of second-degree murder, guilty of manslaughter or not guilty.
"I respect the jury's decision," Meredith said.
"They don't retain the theory of self-defence nor accident. That's in line with the Crown's theory."
Deschenes will be sentenced Dec.6 at 1:30 p.m. Sue Cooper, Deschenes' lawyer, has asked for a pre-sentencing report.
Meredith said the manslaughter verdict carries no minimum sentence, but has a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
