Eetooloo Ejetsiak sentenced as RCMP review use of force

An Iqaluit man who made headlines last week when a video of police apparently hitting him in a cell was shown in court was sentenced to nearly three years in jail Wednesday.

But Nunavut Justice Bonnie Tulloch said she would not let the video enter her thinking about EetoolooEjetsiak's sentencing, because of a lack of context surrounding the video.

• RELATED |Nunavut RCMP order review into use of force on Eetooloo Ejetsiak

Nunavut police ordered a review of the incident after an article describing the video appeared in Iqaluit-based Nunatsiaq News. It's not yetclear when that review will be completed.

Over 100 convictions

In the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit yesterday, Ejetsiak sat still, listening as his lawyers and the Crown went through a mountain of details during his sentencing hearing.

He pleaded guilty to eight charges. Most stem from death threats Ejetsiak has made to judges, police officers, family members and others. One charge was for possession of marijuana.

The charges were the latest in a long list. In his 40-plus years, Ejetsiak has been convicted more than 100 times.

At the end of the day it was Ejetsiak's turn to speak.

He spoke about his hard lifeone where he both received and later gave abuseand asked the judge to send him to federal prison, as soon as possible.

Tulloch said that decision was out of her hands, but said she hopeshe gets sent to an institution that will give him the psychiatric help he needs, after which Ejetsiak quietly said, "Thank you."