Killer Gervais unmoved by victim impact statements

Calgary Convicted murderer Nathan Gervais sat dispassionately in the prisoner’s box Friday as his victim’s grandmother and sister read heart-wrenching impact statements.

“I watched my best friend, biggest support, greatest role model and hero take his dying breath at the young age of nine,” Julia Hird, about watching her brother, Lukas Strasser-Hird, in his hospital bed.

“Lukas’ death was the official end of my childhood,” the now 14-yearold said.

She said the pain of her brother’s Nov. 23, 2013, death was compounded by the fact it took so long to bring Gervais to justice.

“When Gervais was granted bail my heart dropped. I knew something was going to happen and I was correct.”

Strasser-Hird’s father, Dale Hird, said he and the teen’s mother decided against presenting victim impact statements at Gervais’ sentencing hearing following his mocking behaviour two weeks ago when he was found guilty.

“Why give him the satisfaction?” Hird said.

He said Strasser-Hird, 18, was a “good kid” who tried to do the right thing by yelling at someone for uttering a racial slur, which triggered the initial altercation.

The victim’s grandmother spoke of the senselessness of what happened to her grandson.

“My grandson did nothing physical to them,” Debra Hird said.

Gervais, 24, was convicted May 8 of first-degree murder for his involvement in the swarming death of Strasser-Hird. The Calgary teen was cornered in an alley behind a Beltline area nightclub by a group of angry men who had tried to attack him outside the front of the bar a short time earlier. Gervais stabbed Strasser-Hird while others punched and kicked him as he begged for his life.

In convicting Gervais, Justice William Tilleman ruled Strasser-Hird was being unlawfully confined as Gervais intentionally killed him, raising the crime to first-degree murder. As a result, Tilleman sentenced him to an automatic life term without parole for 25 years.

Defence lawyer Alain Hepner wouldn’t comment on a possible appeal but said first-degree murder convictions almost always end up before the province’s top court.