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Charlott Brightnose's mother and sister travelled from northern Manitoba to be in a Sault Ste. Marie courtroom Thursday for the sentencing of the man who killed their beloved family member.
Jerry Leveille shot the woman during a May 17, 2021 confrontation about a missing cell phone at a James Street rooming house.
He was charged with second-degree murder, but part way through a preliminary hearing in May of this year, the Crown accepted a guilty plea to the lesser included offence of manslaughter.
Brightnose died from a single shotgun blast to her neck.
Police responded to a call about the sudden death of a woman at Al's Corner Pub — a 10 one-room unit rooming house.
During their investigation, officers learned Leveille had entered the woman’s room with a sawed-off shotgun
They argued about the phone, he pulled out the firearm, she grabbed it and during a brief struggle the gun discharged and killed Brightnose.
Leveille also pleaded guilty to possession of a restricted firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm while prohibited.
At a hearing Thursday, the Crown and defence jointly recommended a six-year jail term, less credit for the time the 52-year-old man has spent in pre-sentence custody.
Their proposal, which was accepted by Ontario Court Justice Romuald Kwolek, means Leveille faces a further two years less a day behind bars in a provincial facility.
Once he does this jail time, he will be on probation for three years, the maximum permitted under the Criminal Code of Canada.
The minimum sentence for the offence is four years incarceration.
Linda Brightnose, the victim’s "baby sister" wept as their mother Sarah Dorion hugged and comforted her while the judge delivered his decision.
The two women, along with Charlott's daughter Sarena, provided victim impact statements, which prosecutor Robert Skeggs read to the court.
Her second-oldest daughter was five months pregnant when she learned about her mother's death.
"It punched a hole in my chest," knowing her mother would never meet her granddaughter, she wrote.
As she cried over her mother's casket, Sarena said she realized her mother, who had struggled, will be hurting no more.
Her mom had "a huge heart" and had so much life taken away from her.
"It tears me to pieces that the people who love her have to live without her."
Linda, in the other statement, told Leveille: "You took a special person from us" — a daughter, a mother of eight and grandmother to a young girl.
"You took a life and caused a family to hurt" and "I hope you suffer the way we do."
Skeggs told the court Linda and Dorion had "travelled a great way" to be there.
Their journey began with a two-hour drive to Thompson, MB., then a nine-hour overnight bus ride to Winnipeg, then flights to Toronto and the Sault.
In a brief interview following the hearing, Dorion said they were disappointed with the sentence.
"We travelled so far," she said, wiping tears from her eyes. "Six years is not much time."
Kwolek told the family he knows whatever sentence he imposed will never replace Charlott, a caring, loved individual, and "won't bring her back."
Travelling here "is a testimony to your love" for her, the judge said.
The Crown and defence lawyer Adrienne Hagan recommended the sentence, citing a number of triable issues.
There was a witness, who was in the room at the time of the shooting, that couldn’t be located and wasn't at the preliminary inquiry, Skeggs said.
She was the only other person there, and when Leveille changed his plea "you get a clear picture" of what happened, the assistant Crown attorney told the court.
Hagan said her client was struggling with a fentanyl addiction at the time.
The father of five had lost his wife to a drug overdose, it "affected him very deeply" and he began to self-medicate, the defence said.
While in custody at Algoma Treatment and Remand Centre, he wrote a four-page letter highlighting his drug use.
Hagan said she wasn't going to read it to the court, but provided it to the judge.
Leveille doesn't downplay his actions and takes responsibility for the terrible
consequences, she said.
He indicated that he wishes he "could change that day," calling the victim a friend, "an awesome person who helped others."
Kwolek noted the offender's lengthy criminal record and history of violence.
"This is a serious offence" and "a life was lost."
Charlott's wrongful death "had a significant impact on her family," he said.
Leveille had a saw-off weapon, but there is no evidence he pointed it at her.
Given all the facts, the triable issues, guilty pleas and the "peculiar circumstances of this case," Kwolek said he was accepting the joint position of six years.
During his probation, Leveille can have no contact with the victim's family or the people who resided in the James Street rooming house.
Kwolek asked Brightnose's family if they would like a letter of apology from the offender.
"No," they responded.
Leveille also was placed on a lifetime weapons prohibition.
On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to eight other outstanding charges, including possession of a flick knife, possession of a prohibited weapon, failing to attend court and breaching court orders.
These offences occurred between Oct. 11, 2018 and June 7, 2021.
He received a concurrent sentence for these crimes.