N.W.T. court to hear about toll of young mother's murder

This afternoon in Fort Good Hope, N.W.T., family and friends of Charlotte Lafferty will have a chance to tell a judge about how her violent death has affected them.

Lafferty a 23-year-old mother of three was beaten to death almost two and a half years ago. The victim impact statements that will be presented today are part of the sentencing of the young man who killed her. Because he was 17 at the time, he cannot be identified.

This is the only part of the court process that will be held in the community.

Crown prosecutor Anne Pichargued for the court to travel to the community to hear the victim impact statements. Charles Davison, the lawyer for the man being sentenced, argued against it, saying the man does not want to return to the community and fears for his safety.

Adult or youth sentence?

The sentencing hearing itself will be held in Yellowknife in January. Five days are scheduled for it.

The main issue is whether the man will be sentenced as an adult or a youth. He was within a month of his 18th birthday when he murdered and sexually assaulted Lafferty.

The prosecutor will be arguing for him to be sentenced as an adult.

There's a big difference between the two.

If sentenced as an adult, he would automatically geta life sentence with no eligibility for parole for 10 years. The maximum sentence for a youth convicted of first degree murder is six years in prison followed by four years supervision in the community.