'Completely disgusted': Family of victim angered by manslaughter plea in Tyson MacDonald death
'The pain and the anger, it ’s just going to stay with everybody,' sister says
A P.E.I. teenager pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Friday in the death of 17-year-old Tyson MacDonald and will be sentenced as a youth, a result that angered MacDonald's family and many demonstrators who gathered for the court proceeding.
MacDonald was found dead in Kings County after a six-day search in December 2023.
Appearing at the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, the teenager who admitted shooting him also pleaded guilty to interfering with human remains.
The accused cannot be named because of provisions in the Youth Criminal Justice Act. He was 17 at the time of the crime, but has since turned 18.
In Canadian law, manslaughter is causing a death through an unlawful act without having intended to kill. According to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, he'll face a maximum sentence of three years in custody.
"In this case, that unlawful act relates to the careless use of a firearm," said Justice Jonathan Coady.
A second youth charged in connection with the case pleaded guilty to public mischief in April.
Calling for adult sentence
The court appearance drew a big crowd, just as other appearances in the case have done. Demonstrators were on the lawn in front of the court. Inside, there was extra seating in the rear of the courtroom where the proceedings took place, as well as overflow seating with a video feed in another courtroom.
Many of the protesters held signs calling for the teen to be sentenced as an adult, saying things like "Big Boy Crime = Big Boy Time," but it was confirmed in court Friday that he will be sentenced as a youth.
Tyson MacDonald's sisters, Sierra and Britney, were among those who gathered at the hearing.
"Very angry and disappointed. Just completely disgusted by the outcome of this," said Sierra MacDonald after court adjourned. "It feels like the youth criminal justice system has failed us. You never know until you're in this situation just how unfair it really is."
She said while she supports the theory of the rehabilitation of minors that lies behind the Youth Criminal Justice Act, in a case this severe, a youth sentence will not be enough.
MacDonald, who lived in Kings County, was reported missing on Dec. 14 of last year. He had told his parents he was going to a hockey game in Charlottetown with friends.
It took six days to find his remains, and two male youths were arrested that same day.
'Reckless' use of shotgun
In court on Friday, Crown prosecutor John Diamond read out an agreed statement of facts — that is, a document that describes what happened, agreed to by both the defence and the prosecution.
The court heard that the teen and MacDonald had intended to go to a hockey game that night, but they went to the teenager's house first and there was a shotgun near the door.
"[The teen] took possession of the firearm, reckless as to whether the safety was on or off, pointed it at Tyson MacDonald and pulled the trigger, striking him in the left side of his face," Diamond read.
The teen said he panicked, and drove MacDonald's body to Greek River Road and left him there. He then picked up the second youth, who would later be charged with public mischief, and they drove to Charlottetown.
2nd youth misled police
That second youth had no knowledge that MacDonald had been killed, according to the teen who pleaded guilty on Friday, and had no role in the death.
The first teen later returned to Greek River Road and moved MacDonald again.
During the search for MacDonald, the two misled police about his whereabouts, telling them a story about dropping MacDonald off on the County Line Road to meet a young woman they did not know.
The second teen eventually admitted he "felt pressured" by the other youth to lie to police on three occasions. Although "there were no explicit threats of violence," according to the agreed statement of facts in his case, the teen told police he knew the other boy "had access to various firearms."
Following his guilty plea in April to public mischief through misleading police and obstruction of justice, the other teen was sentenced to two more months in jail and 30 days community service. He had been in custody since his December arrest.
Given restrictions on sentencing, MacDonald's sisters don't believe the person who shot their brother will receive the time in jail he deserves. Sierra MacDonald said his eventual return to the community will be terrible.
"The pain and the anger, it's just going to stay with everybody," she said. "It's been torture. It's been almost a year now of just grieving without having any sense of an end."
The sisters said the only comfort they have had throughout the process is the support they have received — not just from the community but from people all over the country.
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 22. MacDonald's killer has been in custody since his arrest, and will remain in custody until sentencing.
With files from Steve Bruce