Mike on Crime

By Mike McIntyre
Winnipeg Free Press

A Winnipeg man broke down in tears after being convicted this afternoon of second-degree murder for a slaying that was captured on surveillance camera.

Christopher Prince was given an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 10 years.

Prince didn’t deny he killed the victim but wanted to be found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter, citing severe intoxication.

Queen’s Bench Associate Chief Justice Jeffrey Oliphant rejected that defence, saying he believes Prince was sober enough to know what he was doing.

Wayne Joseph Hanson, 19, suffered a single stab wound to his heart following a dispute outside the Maryland Hotel in October 2001.

Court had been told that after an argument, Hanson left the hotel followed by Prince shortly before midnight on Oct. 13, 2001. Hanson turned around, with his right arm not visible, and began delivering a “roundhouse punch” to Prince’s head, while Prince lashed out with his left hand holding a knife at the man’s chest.

Hanson staggered around for about 10 seconds before collapsing to the ground and dying.

Prince was originally found guilty of murder by a jury in 2005 but won a new trial after the Manitoba Court of Appeal found the judge didn’t properly explain to jurors that manslaughter was an option.