A Morinville man has already served half his sentence for stabbing his cousin during a fistfight gone wrong last spring.
Elias Morgan Simon received his three-and-half-year sentence in a Morinville courtroom Jan. 23. Simon pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of 20-year-old Morgan Drew Arcand-Faithful of Alexander First Nation in June.
Court heard on April 4, 2012 RCMP were called to a fight that had broken out near Albert’s Family Restaurant on 102 Street and 100 Avenue in Morinville around 11 p.m.
The cousins had spent the better part of the day drinking together and what started as a consensual fistfight quickly turned lethal.
“At first blush, it seems like someone brought a knife to a fistfight,” said provincial Crown prosecutor Scott Pittman.
Arcand-Faithful was delivered a single stab wound to the chest by Simon. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The knife was just bigger than a pen knife, noted Pitman, but was not classified as a dangerous weapon.
RCMP officers noted Simon initially fled the scene in a panic, telling his dad to get help. After the 22-year-old sobered up, he admitted to the stabbing.
Simon has no criminal record.
Pittman sought a sentence of between five and seven years for the manslaughter charge. Both Crown and defence counsel, Gary Smith, said the sentence should be on the lower end of the range because it was a spontaneous act. Simon has also shown remorse and has been cooperative with police from the beginning.
“I’m really sorry for what happened and there’s nothing I can do to make my family forgive me,” said a soft-spoken Simon in court.
In a report requested by the court prior to sentencing, Simon described himself as a “full blown alcoholic” by the age of 15.
Simon was given credit for 21 months pre-sentencing custody. He has another 21 months left to serve and is prohibited from possessing or using a firearm for 10 years.
