William Sandeson found guilty of second-degree murder in 2015 death of Taylor Samson | 24CA News

A jury has discovered William Sandeson responsible of second-degree homicide within the 2015 capturing loss of life of Dalhousie University pupil Taylor Samson.

The 12 jurors started their deliberations Thursday afternoon and reached a verdict on Saturday afternoon.

The second diploma homicide conviction comes with an automated life sentence.

The lead juror first introduced that Sandeson had been discovered not responsible of first-degree homicide earlier than declaring him responsible of the lesser cost earlier than the hushed courtroom, as Samson’s relations sat listening quietly.

Justice James Chipman stated it’s his job to find out the interval of parole ineligibility, which ranges from 10-25 years.

Nine of the jurors really useful to the decide that Sandeson not be eligible for parole for 25 years.

The date for sentencing has been set for April 20 and April 21.

“We wanted first (degree) murder, but we’re going to take what we can get,” Samson’s mom Linda Boutilier instructed reporters. “He (Sandeson) is evil. There’s a special place in hell for him.”

Sandeson, 30, was accused of murdering 22-year-old Samson throughout a hashish deal the night of Aug. 15, 2015.

Sandeson has already been in jail for about seven-and-a-half years, which is able to cut back the size of time he has to serve earlier than parole eligibility, stated Crown prosecutor Kim McOnie.

The Crown had argued that Sandeson, who was 23 on the time and about to start learning drugs at Dalhousie University, was buried in debt and deliberate to kill Samson that night time to steal the 20 kilos of hashish he had beforehand organized to purchase for $40,000.

During the trial, McOnie stated Sandeson had deliberate to promote the stolen marijuana to assist clear a $78,000 debt simply as he was beginning medical faculty at Dalhousie.

The Crown lawyer stated proof of Sandeson’s get-rich-quick scheme lay in a textual content he despatched to his father just a few months earlier than the killing, saying the excellent debt can be paid off by September. McOnie additionally pointed to different texts he despatched quickly after the capturing, together with one to a buddy that declared: “Student loan paid off. I’m squeaky clean now.”

McOnie additionally instructed the jury Sandeson had bought cleansing merchandise in anticipation of destroying proof of a bloody crime scene.

“How many 22-year-old students do you know have seven litres of bleach in their apartment?” she requested, including the proof confirmed Sandeson had cleaned your complete condo inside two hours of the killing.

1:59Former Nova Scotia pupil accused of homicide was motivated by greed: Crown

The defence argued that whereas Sandeson did shoot and kill Samson, it was achieved in self-defence throughout a wrestle over a gun.

He stated he introduced his 9-mm semi-automatic handgun to the drug deal to intimidate Samson, to not kill him.

“I pulled the trigger, but I never wanted to hurt anyone that night,” he instructed the jury.

He testified that he feared for his life when Samson lunged at him throughout an argument over cost.

Sandeson admitted to disposing of the physique by dumping it in a tidal river that feeds the Bay of Fundy close to Truro, N.S. He denied the Crown’s allegation that he dismembered the corpse to make it simpler to deal with. He stated he panicked after the capturing, figuring out he would face prison prices for the loss of life and the drug dealing.

His lawyer, Alison Craig, stated her shopper knew his dream of changing into a health care provider can be over if he referred to as 911. “Drug dealers don’t become doctors,” she stated.

Craig challenged the Crown’s assertion that Sandeson was motivated by greed and monetary achieve, arguing her shopper was financially properly off. She stated he had three part-time jobs, and his personal drug-dealing business was pulling in about $8,000 a month.

“He had everything to look forward to in life,” Craig stated. “He did not have the intent for murder.”

The jury didn’t hear a police interview with Sandeson wherein he provided a number of totally different accounts of what occurred to Samson, none of which concerned a capturing in self-defence. In his ultimate account, Sandeson instructed investigators three unidentified assailants in black bodysuits entered the condo, shot Samson within the head and carried his physique away.

Justice James Chipman dominated the proof inadmissible on the grounds that Sandeson’s Charter rights had not been revered.

This was Sandeson’s second trial. He was discovered responsible of first-degree homicide in 2017, however the conviction was overturned in June 2020 after the Court of Appeal discovered {that a} mistrial ought to have been granted.

— with information from Callum Smith & The Canadian Press

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