22-year-old Brayden Bushby will serve the eight year minus one month sentence.
Monday afternoon counsel Mark C. Halfyard made the case for his client to Judge Gladys Pardu, looking for an appeal on the conviction of manslaughter and for bail, but the motion for release was dismissed.
Bushby will remain in custody while he appeals the manslaughter conviction.
Judge Helen Pierce’s sentence did give Bushby credit for time served in custody during pre-trial.
Bushby also received a 10 year weapons prohibition and can’t communication with Kentner’s relatives.
Bushby was found guilty of Manslaughter in the 2017 death of 34-year-old Barbara Kentner after she was struck by a trailer hitch thrown from a moving vehicle.
Sol Mamakwa, MPP for Kiiwetinoong and the NDP critic for Indigenous and Treaty Relations, released a statement in reaction to the sentencing: “The sentence today is just one part of the long healing process for Barbara Kentner’s family, who are still without their mother and sister. The Kentner family has asked for justice for Barbara, and for Thunder Bay to be safer for Indigenous people. The Government of Ontario has a role to play to ensure that call is honoured.”
During the February sentencing hearing the crown was pushing for 8-12 years in prison along with the weapons ban and no communication while the defense argued that Bushby shouldn’t be made as an example for future crimes and that four years behind bars would give him a chance to rehab his life and eventually return to his fiancé and daughter.
Bushby, in his first public statement back in February, stressed what happened that January night was his fault and his alone.
The 22-year-old expressed embarrassment, guilt and shame for his actions and understands anyone who will never accept his apology or are still angry with what transpired.
