A Superior Court judge sentenced 29-year-old William Oskineegish to seven years in prison for the death of James Waswa.
Oskineegish pleaded guilty to manslaughter Tuesday at the Thunder Bay Superior Court of Justice. Police charged Oskineegish with second-degree murder in September of 2010 in connection to Waswa's death.
He pleaded not guilty to that charge.
The court heard that the two had fought in their home community of Fort Hope. The fight escalated and Oskineegish fatally stabbed Waswa.
Both the Crown attorney and Oskineegish’s lawyer submitted a joint submission stating the judge should find Oskineegish guilty of manslaughter.
“I hope my family can forgive me,” Oskineegish said.
Oskineegish also said he would undergo treatment for substance abuse.
Superior Court Justice John Fregeau sentenced Oskineegish to seven years in prison, but credited him for his time in custody.
Fregeau awarded him credit for his year and five months in custody.
“Oskineegish, good luck,” Fregeau added after delivering the sentence.
Following the sentencing Oskineegish hugged Daisy, the mother of James Waswa.
Assistant Crown Attorney David MacKenzie read a statement prepared by Waswa’s mother that said she had forgiven him for what he had done.
MacKenzie then gave a summary of what transpired between the two men. In the community of Fort Hope, about 400 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, alcohol is not allowed. MacKenzie said the two men attended a party and had consumed water-down hairspray.
He said at some point the two argued and then separated but later on in the night, the dispute reignited.
“The disagreement flared into a fistfight,” MacKenzie said. “Waswa gained the obvious upper hand, punching Oskineegish repeatedly. Oskineegish was forced to the ground and some witnesses at the preliminary hearing suggested that others joined in at this point, hitting Oskineegish with a stick.”
The court heard that Oskineegish broke away and fled from his attackers but didn’t get far. MacKenzie said Waswa followed Oskineegish and taunted him to continue to fight saying “let’s go, I don’t care if you kill me.”
A postmortem examination showed that Waswa died because of a stab wound to the heart.
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