Convicted of attempted murder after a failed assassination, Hensley Jean must be imprisoned for life, for his “revolting” contempt for human life and for denouncing the trivialization of the use of firearms by street gangs in Montreal, which creates a feeling of insecurity in the population.
This is what Me Steve Baribeau, criminal and penal prosecuting attorney, Tuesday at the Saint-Jérôme courthouse, during his argument about the sentence to be imposed on Hensley Jean, a man from Montreal-North recognized as being a member of a gang.
According to Me Baribeau, the court must send a clear message to the street gangs by imposing a severe sentence on Jean.
“In this time of chaos where fear and insecurity reign, if the public loses confidence in the courts, where is society going? If people use guns according to their mood, for nothing, maliciously, to kill, with utter disregard for our laws, for human life and for public safety, where is society going? Asked the prosecutor.
“Do not underestimate the importance and the impact of your decision on public confidence,” he added, addressing Judge Hélène Di Salvio, who presided over the jury trial and who must now impose sentence on Hensley Jean.
“Don’t screw up checking he was shooting the right person!” ”
On June 3, 2019, in a residential area of Saint-Eustache, in front of an opulent residence, Hensley Jean fired two bullets in the back of Samuel Indig with a 16-inch handgun. If the gun had not jammed, the victim would probably have died.
However, this was a personal error: Samuel Indig had moved into this house two days earlier with his family.
“The operation that took place on June 3, 2019 is a failed first degree murder. This crime was committed by someone who acted with wanton wickedness, with uncommon recklessness and disregard for human life: don’t screw up checking he was shooting the right person! », Launched Me Baribeau.
“His moral guilt cannot be higher. His contempt for human life is shocking and revolting, and deserves to be denounced loud and clear. ”
It is unusual to seek a life sentence, without the possibility of parole for 25 years, for attempted murder, the prosecutor admitted.
“We won’t hide it, it goes off the beaten track. This is a suggestion that rarely happens, only in exceptional cases. But we are in the presence of one of these rare cases ”, underlined Me Steve Baribeau.
If Mr. Indig had died, the law would have dictated a life sentence without the possibility of parole for 25 years, he recalled. “The accused should not be rewarded too much because the victim is not dead. His moral turpitude is no less because of this unique and incredible combination of circumstances. ”
Jean’s accomplice, Gérard Sterling III, was sentenced to 10 years in prison last fall for his involvement in the crime.
The pleadings of Me Baribeau, who was assisted by Me Vanessa Dorval, continues Wednesday. It will be followed by that of Me Noémi Tellier and Me Marion Burelle, who represent Hensley Jean.