EDMONTON — A racist Edmonton woman has admitted using the N-word and saying she hated black people while blasting an African immigrant with bear spray at a 7-Eleven store.
Lacey Dawn Snyder, 22, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of criminal harassment and assault with a weapon.
Crown prosecutor Tania Sarkar told provincial court that Snyder and Dylan Trommel, 23, called the victim the N-word and laughed after confronting him at the busy north-side convenience store a little after midnight on Sept. 27, 2009.
"The complainant was truly fearful for his life," said Sarkar, adding the pair gestured for him to come outside, but he stayed by the cash register since he felt an "attack was imminent" and knew there was security video.
A witness outside the store heard Snyder say "how much she hated n------" just before she went back inside and deployed a large canister of bear spray directly in the face of victim Valentin Masepode, said Sarkar.
Snyder was also overheard calling the man the N-word just before the spray attack, which caused severe burning in Masepode's eyes and nasal passages and affected the clerk, two teens and other customers.
Snyder, who wore glasses and had her streaked hair up in a bun and was wearing a black hoodie, nodded to the judge that she accepted the facts read into the record.
Defence lawyer Kent Teskey said Snyder was drunk at the time of the racist attack and had later confessed to police.
A pre-sentence report was ordered and a date for a sentencing hearing is slated to be set on Sept. 16.
Trommel was sentenced to 60 days in jail on May 12 after pleading guilty to criminal harassment. The judge at the time told Trommel his actions were "evil" and "absolutely inexcusable" and said people should be free to walk around the city without being racially targeted.
Court heard Masepode — a student originally from the Congo — was shopping at the 4939 118 Ave. 7-Eleven when confronted by Trommel and Snyder, who are both white.
Sarkar told court Masepode, 32, was talking on his cellphone when Trommel insulted him while speaking to Snyder.
Snyder then turned to Masepode and said the N-word, which surprised the victim because he had not done anything to them to warrant this "extreme hatred," said Sarkar.
Sarkar said both Masepode and others in the store were worried for their safety. However, one customer told the pair to leave the victim alone and they exited the store.
After the bear spray attack, which was captured on videotape, the pair fled. They were identified through the surveillance tape and arrested three months later.
