Winnipeg........again
Two teenagers who conspired to kill staff, students and employees at three Winnipeg schools and a church pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to commit murder.
The two, a male and a female, were 17 when they were charged by Winnipeg police in January and cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
They both turned 18 while in custody.
Lorette Collegiate, Fort Richmond Collegiate, the University of Manitoba and Church of the Rock were the targets of the plot, according to court documents.
The teens were charged with four counts of murder conspiracy. They pleaded guilty only to the count relating to Fort Richmond Collegiate as part of a plea deal reached some time ago, but only revealed publicly Tuesday, court transcripts show.
Crown attorney Susan Baragar told Judge Wanda Garreck the entire plan will come out at a sentencing hearing at a later date.
"There really was one plan, and that one plan did include other places. So at the time of sentencing, the whole plan will be before the court in terms of the statement of facts that's presented," Baragar said.
Police previously said the conspiracy was past the planning stage and would have involved the use of four rifles and ammunition to attack four Winnipeg locations.
Const. Jacqueline Chaput said at the time the plan was to kill at random as many people as possible, including students, adults, church parishioners and "pretty much anyone who was going to get in their way."
The boy was arrested at a Winnipeg psychiatric ward after his father phoned police to inform them of the conspiracy.
No word on punishment
Police said they found firearms stolen from a Portage la Prairie home in a Waverley Heights home last November. The home was where the boy lived with his mother.
But in Tuesday's hearing, the Crown stayed all weapons-related and break-and-enter charges as part of the plea deal.
The Crown has said it will seek adult sentences with the consent of the teens' defence lawyers and their parents.
Speaking for the male, defence lawyer Greg Brodsky said he understands the gravity of the deal that has been reached.
"He understands the significance ... and his plea is one he has consulted on with me extensively," Brodsky said.
Jeff Ginden, lawyer for the female, said she also knows she's giving up her right to a trial.
Other than to say "yes, ma'am," to the judge's questions as they pleaded guilty, they both remained silent during the hearing.
But Baragar told CBC News she won't reveal in advance how much jail time prosecutors are seeking.
"As it will be a joint recommendation I don't think it should be published until the court has heard it," Baragar said in an email.
Neither of the two has a prior criminal record, but the female is facing a criminal mischief charge stemming from an incident at the Manitoba Youth Centre earlier this year, when she was charged by police as an adult.
The next step will be a hearing to determine where the two will serve their sentences. The procedure is mandatory under Canadian youth justice laws.
It's possible they could remain in a youth facility if they're not going to be housed there past age 20.
Their next court date will be Oct. 7 at the Manitoba Youth Centre, to get an update on the progress of a report to determine where they'll be incarcerated.
http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/c...entid=21972969
Quote
