‘I didn’t do it,’ killer says at sentencing

CALGARY — Barry Brown maintained his innocence to the end in the 2001 shooting death of Corinne Belanger, comparing himself to wrongfully convicted David Milgaard, before being sentenced on Monday to life with no chance of parole for 25 years.

“I can see the pain in your eyes, I can see the sorrow, I can see the anger,” Brown, 52, said, facing the victim’s mother Lily Belanger. “But I stand here, I didn’t do it. I’m not guilty.

“I also can relate to a guy named David Milgaard who in 1970 was in the same situation I am. It took him 21 years to prove his innocence. I hope it doesn’t take that long with mine.”

Brown was convicted by a jury last Friday for the shooting death of the 37-year-old woman in her bedroom of her Calgary home on April 15, 2001.

Court heard someone entered, likely with a spare key left outside the home, and went to Belanger’s bedroom and shot her three times, twice through the heart.

The Crown’s theory was that the killing was in loyalty to Belanger’s estranged common-law husband Lee Vollmin, who was in what was about to become a custody battle over their two-year-old son as a result of their breakup.

“Mr. Brown, by the jury’s verdict, you have been held responsible for the planned and deliberate murder of Corinne Belanger,” Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Glen Poelman said before delivering the sentence.

“It was a brutal, callous, cowardly act, done in the woman’s bedroom, a place where she should have been about to feel private and safe. The jury, after a lengthy trial, holds you responsible for taking the life of someone that we have just heard is a much loved mother, a much loved daughter, as spoken courageously and eloquently by Ms. (Lily) Belanger just now, and a friend of many others.”

Lily Belanger, earlier in her victim impact statement, talked about the devastating loss of her daughter to herself and Corinne’s son, who knew his mother for less than three years.

Defence lawyer J. Paul Brunnen would not comment, but it’s expected the verdict will be appealed. Brown has 30 days to file an appeal notice.