B.C. Appeal Court turns down Crown appeal of three-year manslaughter sentence

It's hard to say because, without being at the hearing we see the facts second hand, but three years doesn't seem like the right sentence for a brutal beating. The sentence was based, at least to a degree, on the aboriginal background of the killer. Quaere whether that type of consideration is appropriate in cases of serious personal injury or death? Certainly it makes sense to consider the often terrible circumstances of aboriginal accused when dealing with, say, a property crime or drug offences, but when someone is beaten to death? The law is clear that such consideration is appropriate; does that make sense? I'm not so sure.

B.C. Appeal Court turns down Crown appeal of three-year manslaughter sentence

VANCOUVER, B.C. - B.C.'s Court of Appeal has refused to overturn a three-year prison sentence given to an aboriginal man who was the instigator in a beating death in August 2006.

Story here:

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/081106/national/aboriginal_sentence