Last of teen defendants pleads to manslaughter in fatal La Ronge beating

The last of four teens charged in connection to the beating death of La Ronge restaurant owner Simon Grant has pleaded guilty to armed robbery and manslaughter.

The teen boy, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act because he was 17 years old at the time, entered the pleas in La Ronge provincial court Monday afternoon, according to Grant’s wife, Cora Laich.

Laich was in the courtroom and said this case has been especially emotional.

“There was a lot of factors that this youth had in the whole picture, and once the whole story comes out, it will show a lot about Simon’s character. There was a lot of personal contact that made this a lot more emotional.”

Grant was killed during a robbery at his restaurant, Louisiana’s BBQ, on April 15, 2017. The details of the case are expected to be presented during the youth’s sentencing hearing.

Laich said the Crown is seeking an adult sentence, and the case has been adjourned until March for the ordering of psychological reports.

Originally three teens were charged with second-degree murder in Grant’s death. All have now pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter.

A 14-year-old boy has yet to be sentenced, while 19-year-old Austin Bird received a seven-year term in October.

A charge of accessory after the fact to murder was stayed against a fourth man, 18-year-old Matthew Nagy-Charles, in November.

Laich expects there will be many victim-impact statements presented at the 17-year-old’s sentencing hearing because of the positive effect Grant had on the community. She said the sentence they are seeking would be a “gamechanger.”

“(It’s) such an example of not wanting someone to get away with it. I mean, it’s murder. We want it to affect a judge that way, and I believe the victim-impact statements are going to be really important in that.”