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Kanate gets 7 years

An Ontario court judge sentenced a 20-year-old-man charged with killing his cousin to seven years in jail. Patrick Kanate appeared in the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay Monday for sentencing.
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Defence lawyer Gil Labine stands outside the Thunder Bay Ontario Court of Justice on Dec. 5, 2011. (tbnewswatch.com)

An Ontario court judge sentenced a 20-year-old-man charged with killing his cousin to seven years in jail.

Patrick Kanate appeared in the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay Monday for sentencing.  Police charged Kanate in September 2010 with second-degree murder in connection to the death of his cousin, 25-year-old Keegan Williams.

Kanate later pled guilty to manslaughter.

The Crown dropped the second-degree charge and through a joint submission with Kanate’s lawyer requested he receive a sentence between six and 10 years.

Ontario Justice Dino DiGiuseppe sentenced Kanate to seven years, but gave Kanate credit for the nine months of custody he’s already served.

The court heard that on the date of the incident, Kanate and Williams were drinking together and had an argument about sharing the rest of the alcohol.

Kanate told Williams and another man to leave his High Street home. The two cousins fought and then Williams pulled out a knife.

Kanate managed to get the knife away from Williams and then stabbed him in the left arm.

Williams died of blood loss from the single stab wound.

DiGiuseppe said he considered many factors when making his decision. Kanate’s age, the admission of guilt and the fact that Williams used the knife first were all taken into consideration.

Those factors were weighted against Kanate’s anger issues, his abuse of substances and his previous violent behaviour.

DiGiuseppe called William’s death “senseless” and added that Kanate probably didn’t intend to kill his cousin.

“Mr. Kanate should have walked away,” DiGiuseppe said. “Keegan William’s death at the hands of his cousin is tragic.”

During his sentencing, Kanate kept his eyes on the floor and after he was escorted out of the courtroom, he became upset and shouted out profanity.

Defence lawyer Gil Labine said Kanate was upset after learning of his sentence, but calmed down soon after.

Labine said he and his client were happy with the results.

“I thought Justice DiGiuseppe was immensely fair with Mr. Kanate,” Labine said. “His sentencing reflects all the principles in sentencing … I think he went through the problems these young people are facing and the background they come from and the sentencing reflects those principles accurately and fairly.”

Labine said William’s mother had forgiven Kanate, but what happened has still taken a toll on the family.

 




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