South Surrey mother Lisa Batstone 乌鸦传媒� found guilty in March of second-degree murder in her daughter Teagan乌鸦传媒檚 December 2014 death 乌鸦传媒� should have to wait 16 to 18 years before she can apply for parole, Crown counsel submitted Wednesday.
The facts, prosecutor Christopher McPherson argued, 乌鸦传媒渓ie squarely within the highest range of parole ineligibility.乌鸦传媒�
Defence counsel agreed the offence was 乌鸦传媒渙ne of the worst crimes,乌鸦传媒� but submitted an ineligibility term of 10 years was appropriate, noting 乌鸦传媒渦nless Miss Batstone is able to establish that she is fit for release, she will remain in jail for the rest of her life.乌鸦传媒�
Crown says South Surrey mother who killed daughter should spend 16-18 years in jail before being eligible to apply for parole.
乌鸦传媒� Peace Arch News (@PeaceArchNews)
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The conviction comes with an automatic life sentence. Lawyers are making submissions today on just how long Batstone 乌鸦传媒� who smothered Teagan with a plastic bag 乌鸦传媒� should remain ineligible for parole, and Justice Catherine Murray is hearing victim-impact statements, including from Teagan乌鸦传媒檚 dad, Gabe Batstone.
Gabe Batstone told Murray he is haunted every day by all the little things he can no longer share with his daughter: trips to the grocery store and the park, comforting her.
乌鸦传媒淚 miss everything, and that never goes away,乌鸦传媒� he said.
He said he is angered at the impact her murder has had on his two young sons, describing the boys乌鸦传媒� sadness, confusion, survivor乌鸦传媒檚 guilt and more.
Gabe Batstone also expressed concern with the court process.
乌鸦传媒淥ften not seen and difficult to prepare for is the slowness of this process,乌鸦传媒� he told the court. 乌鸦传媒淔our years later, just days before Father乌鸦传媒檚 Day, I sit reliving the worst day of my life乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮綕
In finding Batstone guilty in March, Murray 乌鸦传媒� noting the only issue for her to rule on was whether Batstone 乌鸦传媒渉ad the requisite intent for second-degree murder乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒� found 乌鸦传媒渢he killing was deliberate.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淭he accused乌鸦传媒檚 actions were purposeful and goal-driven,乌鸦传媒� Murray said.
Batstone was charged after eight-year-old Teagan乌鸦传媒檚 body was found in the trunk of a car in a cul-de-sac off Crescent Road on Dec. 10, 2014.
During trial, prosecutors pointed to the fact that Batstone never called 911, and that she left notes that read 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 so sorry,乌鸦传媒� as well as a four-page letter with phrases that included, 乌鸦传媒淚 couldn乌鸦传媒檛 imagine leaving here and leaving her to him,乌鸦传媒� as among evidence that made it clear Batstone had intended to kill Teagan.
Defence counsel had argued it was 乌鸦传媒渋mpossible to know乌鸦传媒� what truly was in Batstone乌鸦传媒檚 mind乌鸦传媒� in the moments before she smothered her daughter.
In her reasons for judgment, Murray noted that Batstone 乌鸦传媒渄id nothing to try to save乌鸦传媒� Teagan.
tholmes@peacearchnews.com
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