Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 08/02) - Craig Stromberg has been sentenced to four years in prison for the beating death of Hay River resident Yves Labelle.

Stromberg, 35, pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter in Supreme Court Thursday in Yellowknife.

A publication ban remains in effect, prohibiting the publication of evidence from Stromberg's trial.

A co-accused, Ivan Bruha, 50, is awaiting a jury trial for manslaughter in connection with the killing of Labelle. The evidence heard in Stromberg's trial cannot be released until the jury for Bruha's trial is sequestered.

Labelle, 50, was found dead by friends Jan. 17 in a room at the Cedar Rest Motel in Hay River. According to the coroner's office, it was the first murder in Hay River in five years.

Nicknamed "Frenchie," the deceased moved to the North from Quebec several years ago. He also lived in Inuvik and Yellowknife.

"It was just a senseless death," said co-worker and friend Victoria Sideen in January after she and two others found his body.

Stromberg was initially charged with second- degree murder, but waived his preliminary inquiry in May and agreed to stand trial for manslaughter.

Wearing jeans and a green T-shirt, Stromberg was visibly upset as he stood before Supreme Court Justice John Vertes awaiting his sentence.

Defence lawyer Robert Gorin said Stromberg felt "great remorse for his actions" and "suffered many sleepless nights" as a result of Labelle's death.

On two occasions after the death Stromberg had attempted suicide and was hospitalized in the Stanton Territorial Hospital psychiatric ward for several weeks, according to Gorin.

"I'm sorry. Sorry," was all Stromberg had to say before sentencing.

Crown prosecutor Loretta Colton asked Justice John Vertes to impose a sentence of five to six years as punishment for Labelle's death.

But Vertes said Stromberg's early guilty plea is a "sign that he is strong enough to stand up and take accountability" for his actions, showing him that the possibility of "future rehabilitation is positive."

But Vertes could not ignore that a serious crime had been committed and "a human life has been lost." He told Stromberg he is "a mature man, but still young enough" to live a long life after he is released from prison.

"I hope you use this time to plan your future," Vertes said upon sentencing.

In addition to the four-year prison term Stromberg has been ordered to provide a DNA sample to the RCMP. A 10-year firearms prohibition has also been ordered, beginning the day he is released from prison.