Sault Ste. Marie police chief slams prosecutors, demands review in murder plea deal

Up North5:11Two year sentence for men found guilty of killing Sault Ste Marie's Wes Hallam

There was outrage in a Sault Ste Marie courtroom as three men who pleaded guilty to manslaughter were sentenced to less than two years in prison each for the grizzly killing of Wes Hallam. Chief of police Robert Keetch gave his thoughts on the verdict.

The chief of police of a northern Ontariocity has slammed prosecutors and demanded a review after three menpleaded guilty to lesser charges for a grisly homicide in Sault Ste.Marie, Ont., in which a man was stabbed to death, decapitated anddismembered at a house party.

Police Chief Robert Keetch says he was disappointed withThursday's outcome in the death of Wesley Hallam, who was stabbed todeath on Jan. 7, 2011, and he has asked the Ministry of the AttorneyGeneral for an independent third-party review of the case.

On Thursday, Ronald Mitchell, Dylan Jocko and Eric Mearow pleadedguilty to manslaughter and offering an indignity to a human bodyafter police brought forward a comprehensive case with first-degreemurder charges.

Keetch says the result of the Crown's deal doesn't reflect thework done by police on the case or in general within the city,trying to reassure an agitated public that resulted in more than 100protesters showing up at the courthouse.

The victim's mother, Sandra Hallam, says she is devastated andoutraged with the outcome.

Because of time already served, all three men will spend twoyears or less behind bars.