21 October 2007

Great news for Albertans

Coming soon to a suburban neighbourhood... near you.
-- CALGARY -- Canada's youngest convicted multiple murderer could qualify for a rarely used optional sentence when she learns her fate in southern Alberta this week, nearly three months after being found guilty of slaughtering her parents and little brother.

The girl, who turned 14 in prison on Sunday and can't be identified, may be a candidate for the Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision sentence (IRCS).

Part of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, it's designed to be an alternative for serious, violent offenders and would break up her sentence between the young offender centre, a forensic psychiatric hospital, a group home and finally back into the community.
I'm sure you remember this poor little princess...
When her five-week trial concluded in July, a jury took only a couple hours to find her guilty on all three counts of first-degree murder in the stabbing and slashing deaths of her mother, father and eight-year-old brother in their suburban Medicine Hat home in April 2006.

Because she was only 12 at the time of the killings, she faces a maximum sentence of 10 years, with no more than six spent in custody.

There is no minimum sentence.