Crown seeks parole eligibility of 16 years for man who killed cop
The Crown says a Halifax man who killed an off-duty police officer and used a green bin to dispose of her body should have to serve 16 years before he can apply for parole.
Christopher Garnier faces an automatic sentence of life in prison after being convicted in December of second-degree murder and interfering with a dead body in the death of 36-year-old Catherine Campbell.
A hearing to determine when Garnier will be able to apply for parole was held Monday, but was adjourned until Aug. 27 and 28 in part because the defence wants an expert witness to testify.
Outside of court, prosecutor Christine Driscoll said the Crown believes Garnier should serve 16 years before he’s able to apply for parole.
Garnier’s lawyer Joel Pink declined to comment as he left the court, but Driscoll says it’s her understanding the defence is seeking a period of 10 years before he can apply for parole.
Parole eligibility for seconddegree murder must be set between 10 and 25 years.
The 30-year-old had argued at his trial that Campbell died accidentally during rough sex in 2015 after they met at a Halifax bar.
He is appealing his conviction in part because he says police interview tactics elicited a false confession.
The jury found that Garnier strangled Campbell and used a compost bin to dump her body near a Halifax harbour bridge.
During a nine-hour recorded interview with police, Garnier said he punched Campbell and had his hands around her throat as she was choking, but he repeatedly said he could not remember other details from that night.