Opinion
Edmonton man who shot ex-girlfriend in head sentenced to 12 years
An Edmonton man who shot his ex-girlfriend within the head — leaving her with a bullet completely lodged in her neck — has been sentenced to 12 years in jail.
Court docket of Queen’s Bench Justice Nathan Whitling imposed the sentence on Johnathan Gabriel Graham Friday afternoon, describing Graham’s crime as a disturbing act of intimate associate violence.
In line with an agreed assertion of details, the then-26-year Graham advised shot the girl on Feb. 16, 2019, a couple of month after their four-year relationship ended. Graham had spent the night earlier than at nightclubs, ingesting and utilizing medicine together with methamphetamine and cocaine. Round 2 a.m., Graham and a number of other buddies returned to his house close to 101 Avenue and 95 Avenue, the place they had been later joined by his ex and her male buddy.
Finally, Graham and the girl received right into a disagreement and she or he and the opposite man left. They took the elevator to the parkade however realized they’d exited on the flawed ground. When she entered the stairwell, she encountered Graham, who fired a .32-calibre pistol inches from her head.
The bullet entered the girl’s cranium close to her left eyebrow and lodged itself in her neck. Her buddy went to assist whereas Graham fled. She was rushed to hospital, the place docs had been capable of save her life. Graham surrendered to police three days later after dumping the gun in a snowbank.
Police charged Graham with quite a few crimes together with tried homicide with a firearm. He was allowed to plead responsible final March to aggravated assault and possessing a firearm whereas prohibited.
Crown prosecutor Nathan Benron sought 14 years for the aggravated assault — the utmost — plus a further three years for the firearms offence.
Defence lawyer Mark Henry Jordan requested for a complete of six to eight years.
Whitling settled on 11 years for the taking pictures, plus one other yr for the weapons offence. He mentioned Graham’s sufferer continues to endure a “nice deal of trauma” and has misplaced using her left eye regardless of a number of surgical procedures. She additionally has fluid in her ear which causes her to listen to her heartbeat always.
Whitling gave Graham credit score for his responsible plea, in addition to for his apology to the girl and her household, which he believed to be honest.
Whitling famous Graham promised to not hurt his sufferer once more, including “I hope, however don’t essentially anticipate, they may take some consolation in these phrases.”
Graham has been in jail since his Feb. 19, 2019 arrest. With enhanced credit score for pretrial custody, he has round 7 1/2 years to serve.
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