news Soldier who shot tentmate dead in Afghanistan faces sentence of two years: judge

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Soldier who shot tentmate dead in Afghanistan faces sentence of two years: judge


1 hour, 35 minutes ago

By Michael Tutton, The Canadian Press


SYDNEY, N.S. - A Canadian soldier who shot and killed his tentmate in Afghanistan in 2007 is facing a prison term of at least two years, a military judge said Tuesday.

Cmdr. Peter Lamont, who's hearing the case, postponed the sentencing of Cpl. Matthew Wilcox until Wednesday, saying he will consider arguments from the defence that the soldier should serve as much of his term as possible in a federal institution instead of the military penitentiary in Edmonton.

Wilcox, a 24-year-old soldier from Glace Bay, N.S., was convicted in July of criminal negligence causing death and neglect of duty in the March 6, 2007, shooting of Cpl. Kevin Megeney.

While Lamont decided to delay sentencing, he said in an exchange with defence lawyers that he was planning a sentence of at least two years in prison and considering dismissing Wilcox from the Armed Forces, which prompted several of Wilcox's relatives to weep.

Despite the sentence that faces him, Wilcox's demeanour hasn't changed, defence lawyer Lt.-Col. Troy Sweet said outside court.

"He's dealing with it like a trained soldier," Sweet said.

"He's proud to have served his country."

During the trial, the defence counsel argued the military prison was not suitable for Wilcox, due in part to its strict regimen of marching, restrictions on visitors and because it's far from his home in Nova Scotia.

On Tuesday, Sweet asked Lamont to have Wilcox sentenced to a federal institution as quickly as possible.

"It's appropriate he start his civilian sentence right away so he can get on the parole track," Sweet said outside court.

Wilcox has spent over two years at his family's home in Glace Bay, where his mother and father say they've helped him deal with recurring nightmares.

His mother also said in a victim impact statement she didn't like to leave him alone out of fear he would harm himself.

The defence had argued for a suspended sentence and a demotion, noting positive reviews from his superior officers and his young age.

However, prosecutor Maj. Jason Samson had argued for a minimum sentence of six years, with nine months of it spent in the Canadian Forces Service Prison in Edmonton.

He has also asked for Samson to be reduced in rank to private and dismissed from the army.

Wilcox's court martial heard evidence that he and the 25-year-old Megeney - both reservists with the Nova Scotia Highlanders - were playing a game of quick-draw when Wilcox fatally shot his close friend in the chest.

Wilcox testified that he had acted in self defence, instinctively firing his 9-millimetre Browning pistol without looking when he heard someone behind him ****ing the hammer on a gun inside his tent at Kandahar Airfield.

Members of Megeney's family told Wilcox's sentencing hearing their lives have been shattered by his death.

Dexter Megeney described his son as one of his "buddies," a vibrant young man who enjoyed fishing, playing golf and shooting pool with his dad.

But since his son's death, Megeney said he no longer sleeps well and has started smoking again after giving up the habit four years ago.

He takes up to 18 pills a day to control stress.

Karen Megeney said her son was proud of serving in Afghanistan and she, too, has had trouble coping since he died, adding that the entire family rarely gathers for family dinners.

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i live in sydney n.s and i know its all through our city we all know it was hear in sydney that is was an accident he never meant for that gun to go off i feel sorry for both families