Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Sep 26/01) - A Rankin Inlet man was sentenced to seven years in prison this past week after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Louie Evaloakjuk, 28, formerly of Coral Harbour, had originally been charged with first-degree murder in the brutal slaying of his brother, Pierre Evalouajuk, also of Coral Harbour, who was living in Rankin at the time.

Evalouajuk was just two days shy of his 41st birthday when police found him dead with a 10-centimetre gash across his throat on Feb. 25, 2000, at a multi-unit housing complex in Area 6 of the hamlet.

The victim had moved to Rankin Inlet to be employed by the Siniktarvik Hotel.

He had received his certificate in food preparation at the hotel the previous summer.

Evaloakjuk had only moved to Rankin from Coral Harbour about six weeks before the slaying.

The charge against Evaloakjuk was lowered to second-degree murder before his appearance in Rankin by an Iqaluit judge.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter after a deal was reached between the Crown and defence lawyer Susan Cooper.

A manslaughter conviction can carry with it a sentence ranging from probation to life imprisonment.

Justice Beverley Browne of the Nunavut Court of Justice told the court she took several factors into consideration when handing down her sentence, including the violence of the crime and the fact the defendant has an "intellectual deficit."

Both the Crown and defence recommended a seven-year sentence.

Evaloakjuk had already been in jail for about 18 months at the time of the sentencing.

Sgt. Thomas Kasdorf of Rankin Inlet RCMP, said police officers see deals struck in the courts all the time. He said officers take it all in stride and can't really comment on deals made in the courts.

"We see the Crown and defence making deals all the time. Who knows? They may be privy to a bigger picture than we are?," said Kasdorf."Who knows what's going on at their level?"