Leflar murderer’s accomplice gets youth sentence
Man’s own brother says penalty for 2015 slaying not harsh enough
It was a murder accomplice’s own brother rather than the victim’s family who threw out a heated comment at the 19-year-old man after he was sentenced as a youth Tuesday for his role in the death of Hannah Leflar.
“You deserved an adult sentence,” said the brother as he left the courtroom.
The 19-year-old previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the Jan. 12, 2015, death of 16-year-old Leflar. While his friend Skylar Prockner committed the actual stabbing, the 19-year-old acknowledged helping Prockner with his plan, and even admitted to looking forward to seeing Leflar — who had been a friend of the 19-year-old — killed.
Both Prockner and the 19-yearold were 16 at the time of the killing.
Prockner pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of his former girlfriend and, at the conclusion of a sentencing hearing, received an adult sentence. He is now seeking to appeal that sentence.
A similar hearing was later held for Prockner’s accomplice and, at the end of September, Queen’s Bench Justice Lian Schwann reserved her decision. She returned on Tuesday with the sentence, handing the teen the maximum allowable under the Youth Criminal Justice Act for this offence: seven years. The term breaks down into four years served in custody and three on community supervision.
“This is not an easy decision,” Schwann said. “I am very mindful of the extreme violence perpetrated on an innocent young girl within the sanctuary of her own home for no apparent reason other than to avenge a jilted boyfriend’s hurt feelings.”
Nonetheless, Schwann determined the 19-year-old’s best chance at rehabilitation rests not with an adult federal prison term, but with a youth-based Intensive Rehabilitative Custody and Supervision (IRCS) sentence.
The judge declined to credit the teen with pre-sentence custody while handing him the maximum term.
Members of Leflar’s family broke down in tears upon hearing the judge’s decision. They left court without speaking to reporters.
The Crown had asked for an adult sentence — mandatory life with no parole eligibility for seven years.
In reading from her 62-page decision, Schwann started off by saying Leflar’s murder was “brutal, senseless and shocked the community.”
She referred extensively in her reasons to the testimony of the youth at his hearing, stating she disbelieved certain elements while accepting other aspects — such as his apparent lack of motive beyond wanting “to help his best friend avenge months of anguish and pain Skylar felt Hannah inflicted on him.”
“I accept that the prospect of killing Hannah even fascinated (the 19-year-old) in some perverse or macabre kind of way,” the judge added.
While the youth had testified he wasn’t merely a follower during Prockner’s plan to kill Leflar, Schwann nonetheless found evidence the teen “is a pleaser and a follower” and was “obsessed with Skylar and willing to help him.” The judge determined that due to the youth’s “social immaturity,” he was “vulnerable to the whims of his closest friend.”
“The truly unfortunate part is that Skylar, his closest friend, was dangerously dark and unstable,” she said.
In finding the Crown had not met the necessary test, Schwann referred to the teen’s lesser level of planning and participation, that he didn’t play a hands-on role in the murder, his age, his lack of previous record, and his “immaturity and vulnerability.”
Crown prosecutor Chris White had argued the youth showed a rare level of maturity for his age in balancing two very separate yet parallel lives, and didn’t show traits common to many youth offenders such as impulsivity, carelessness or an inability to explain one’s actions.
White told reporters he expects his head office will review the decision to see whether an appeal is merited.
While the judge ordered an IRCS sentence, it remains to be seen whether the youth stands to benefit much from that as court heard such a sentence is difficult, if not impossible, to administer once a youth is moved to an adult facility — something that typically happens once an offender reaches age 20.
A placement hearing will be held at a later date to determine where the youth will serve his sentence.
White said he expects the Crown will ask that the youth be moved to a federal prison.