‘Everyone makes mistakes:’ Regina teen girl’s killer apologizes in court

The Crown is seeking an adult sentence for the youth, who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder earlier this year.

In his final arguments, Crown lawyer Chris White said the young man’s apology was an expression of regret, not remorse.

“He feels regret for what Hannah’s murder has done to him,” White said. “Regretting your situation is one thing, regretting what he has done to others is another.”

Defence lawyer Corinne Maeder argued the teen has no criminal record before this, has a small chance to re-offend and “has mental health issues.”

The judge adjourned the matter to July 5.

On Friday, Hannah’s mother stared the young killer down in court and told him to “burn in hell.”

“I can’t apologize enough for what I’ve done,” the teen said Tuesday.

“Everyone makes mistakes. It’s what we do to right those wrongs that make us better.”

The teen said he’s found peace in God.

Some members of Leflar’s family left the courtroom as he read.

“I know you may never forgive me for what I’ve done,” he said. “But I will never stop asking God for forgiveness.”

Last week, Janet Leflar urged the judge presiding over the hearing not to show any mercy to the killer of Leflar’s only child.

“I will never know my daughter as an adult. I’ve lost my entire future because of this, a future that revolved around my daughter’s plans. My future is now a blank wall,” she said.

She said she is bitter and angry, suffers depression and had to quit a career she spent a dozen years building.

Court heard Hannah was an honours student who just before her death had been named the top of her class for Grade 10.

The sentencing hearing has been told that after he and Hannah broke up, the youth had trouble coping with being dumped. When she started dating a different boy, he hatched a plan called “Project Zombify” to recruit friends to help him attack the couple with bats and knives.

The attack never took place because Leflar and that boyfriend broke up, but the youth kept tabs on her. When he saw she had a new boyfriend, he hid outside her house and waited for her to walk home from school, then followed her inside and stabbed her to death.

A second teenage boy, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, is expected to be sentenced in September.

(CTV Saskatoon, CJME)

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

‘Everyone makes mistakes:’ Regina teen girl’s killer apologizes in court

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