Supreme Court

Judge:

The Honourable Justice Peter P. Rosinski

Heard:

April 16, 2018 in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Written Decision:

April 20, 2018

Subject:

Sentencing for conspiracy to commit (multiple) murder(s) – s. 465(1)(a) Criminal Code

Summary:

Ms. Souvannarath, an American citizen resident near Chicago, Illinois, conspired, during seven weeks over the Internet with James Gamble, to carry out a plan to use weapons to attack random members of the public at the Halifax shopping Centre on February 14, 2015. The weapons were a single action 16-gauge shotgun and .308 calibre lever action hunting rifle and knife. They were inspired by other mass killings such as at the Columbine High School. She flew to Halifax in the early morning hours of February 13, 2015 to carry out the plan. But for a Crime Stoppers tip, they would have carried out the attack. Mr. Gamble shot himself to death. Ms. Souvannarath was arrested at the airport. She pled guilty. She did not renounce her “ideological” reasons for carrying out the plan. She was not remorseful. At the time of sentencing, and for the foreseeable future, she remained a danger to the public.

 Issues:

(1)         What is the appropriate sentence?

Result:

The circumstances of the offender and the offence are unique. The closest comparable are sentencings from terrorism cases. In this case, the paramount sentencing principles implicated were, denunciation, specific and general deterrence, and separating the offender from society.

The court concluded nothing less than a sentence of life imprisonment was appropriate. An order issued that Ms. Souvannarath serve 10 years before being parole eligible pursuant to s. 746.3 Criminal Code.