After a full week of deliberations, the jury did the only thing they could when they sentenced four men in connection with the May 2001 murder of Burlington teenager Matthew Daly.
The men and women of this jury should be praised for their deliberate and careful attention to detail. They asked for clarification from the judge concerning the definition of "first degree murder" and "second degree murder". What they where told from all I understand of law, basically it boils down to one factor. Did the accused plan to murder Matthew?
Early on in this case like many, I thought fair justice was only a murder conviction for all involved and nothing else. As the case unfolded in became clear that these "men" did not start off the tragic evening with the intent to murder. As the events unfolded it became clear that blind hate took hold and steered these men down the path that led to the untimely death of a bright star.
It is now up to the judge to send a message to Sam Nop, Vuthy Chak and Fadil "Neil" Mujku. Who have been found guilty of second degree murder. Stephen Papadopoulos has been found guilty of manslaughter. A message that tells the country that the justice system has had enough of senseless hate and they are ready to start making those who commit these type of crimes pay to the fullest the criminal code allows.
Chak was a young offender at the time of the murder and will be eligible for parole in less than two years. A judge will set parole eligibility for Nop and Mujku on January 29th, the same day Papadopoulos' manslaughter sentence will be finalized.
A fifth man, whose identity is protected under a strict publication ban and who is also charged with first degree murder, will go on trial next year in the case.
Background Story
Four or five blows to the head and neck was the cause of death of Matthew Daly. He died in hospital about 12 hours after he was ambushed and attacked at about 3 a.m., May 19, 2001, while walking home with his girlfriend, Erin Keller, from a Nelson High School graduation party in Burlington.
The assailants were angry because Daly and his buddies had ejected a group of Hamilton men from the party less than two hours earlier. They came back to the party armed with bats and clubs, clubbed, kicked and punched Daly until he was no longer moving.
At this point, four of the attackers ran away but Nop stayed behind and delivered four or five more blows to the victim's head.
Later,
Kenaz
