 Jane Creba, 15, was fatally shot while shopping with her mother and sister on Yonge Street in downtown Toronto on Boxing Day 2005. (QMI Agency/Handout)
|
TORONTO - Two men were convicted of manslaughter Thursday in the 2005 Boxing Day shootout death of Toronto teen Jane Creba.
Raphael Louis Woodcock, 23, and Tyshaun Barnett, 22, were the last two alleged gunmen tried for the Dec. 26, 2005, shootout that left the 15-year-old Riverdale Collegiate student dead and several others wounded.
The shooting occurred near the Eaton Centre downtown on the busiest shopping day of the year. Creba had been shopping with her mother and sister.
The Crown had sought convictions on second-degree murder but the jury opted for the lesser charge.
The jury had been deliberating since Monday and returned briefly Wednesday with questions for the judge.
Crown attorney Maurice Gillezeau conceded evidence from his key witness Kory Benoit-James - which the judge described as "full of obvious contradictions" - was troublesome for the Crown¹s case against both accused.
James testified the 9-mm handgun fired at the scene belonged to Woodcock and was stored at James' home.
Outside the court, Barnett's lawyer, Christopher Hicks, said the jury must have believed some of Benoit-James' testimony.
"The jury's verdict means they found they fired the gun but didn't intend to kill anyone," Hicks said. "It appears they believed at least some of what Benoit-James had to say."
Hicks expressed some dissatisfaction with the outcome.
"It was a long and difficult trial. I have to take issue with some of the instructions (Judge Gladys Pardu) gave to the jury," he said.
Two other men have already been convicted of second-degree for the shooting and are serving life sentences.
