Jonathan Bacon's killers sentenced to life, 18-year terms
Jason McBride pleaded guilty to 2nd-degree murder; Michael Jones, Jujhar Khun-Khun to conspiracy charges
Three men who pleaded guilty to the 2011 shooting death of gangster Jonathan Bacon were sentenced today in B.C. Supreme Court.
Jason McBride was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 18 years. He was also given a 15-year sentence for related attempted murders, which will be served concurrent to the life sentence.
Michael Jones and Jujhar Khun-Khun were sentenced to 18 years each for conspiracy to commit murder. They each will get eight years credit for time served and will not be eligible for parole for five years.
"This case has been complicated," Judge Allan Bretton said at the sentencing on Wednesday morning in Kelowna. "It has been a highly complex case with significant challenges."
On Tuesday, all three pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and conspiracy charges as part of a plea deal to end the case.
The Crown and defence entered a joint statement agreeing on recommended sentences, which was accepted by the judge at the sentencing hearing Wednesday morning.
Watch the surveillance video showing the fatal shooting of Jonathan Bacon by clicking on the video below.
Shots fired in busy parking lot
Bacon, the eldest of three brothers linked to the Red Scorpions gang, was shot and killed outside the Delta Grand Hotel in Kelowna, B.C., on the afternoon of Aug. 14, 2011.
He was leaving the hotel with the others in a Porsche Cayenne when two men opened fire, court heard.
Three others were also injured in the shooting: Hells Angels member Larry Amero and two women who'd been in the SUV with Bacon.
One of the women, Leah Hadden-Watts, was left paralyzed. Court heard that her vertebrae were shattered by bullets, leaving her with permanent disabilities and a reduced life expectancy.
A fourth targeted person — gangster James Riach — escaped injury and ran out of the car.
Original charges reduced
McBride, Jones and Khun-Khun were initially arrested in 2013 and charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder.
They all pleaded not guilty to those offences. However, they were charged with new offences after striking a plea deal earlier this spring.
On Tuesday, the B.C. Prosecution Service said it opted for a plea deal in the interest of securing convictions, as the case had been marred by delays and legal challenges.