Prosecutor Satisfied With Jail Sentence

Prosecutor Satisfied With Jail Sentence

Monday, February 21, 2005 at 14:41

A Prince Albert lawyer says she believes justice has been served by a seven-year sentence given to a man convicted of killing a northerner with a baseball bat.

Prosecutor Maryanne Friesen had requested an 11-year prison term for 49-year-old John Buesnel.

However, last Friday, a judge handed him a 10-year sentence and gave him three years’ credit for time he’s already served in custody.

Buesnel was found guilty in the manslaughter of 44-year-old Leland Vincent Ballantyne, who died in August 2003 after being hit in the head.

Buesnel, who admitted to the crime, left court angry and vowed to appeal his sentence.

However, Friesen says she believes the sentence is fair in light of how manslaughter convictions have been dealt with by the courts in the past.

The father of the victim says he’s unhappy with the sentence because Buesnel killed his son while he was sleeping.