Second person found guilty in the Jannai Dopwell-Bailey murder case to receive a juvenile sentence

A Quebec Youth Court judge has ruled that the second individual convicted in the death of Jannai Dopwell-Bailey will be sentenced as a minor.

The decision, delivered on Friday, is expected to be followed by an announcement of the sentencing date soon.

The ruling addressed whether the accused, now 19 years old, would be sentenced as a minor or an adult, as he was under 16 at the time of the 2021 murder.

Dopwell-Bailey, aged 16, was fatally stabbed outside his school in Côte-des-Neiges on October 18, 2021. After the attack, he sought help at the school but later died in the hospital.

In 2023, the accused was convicted of second-degree murder but cannot be publicly identified due to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, which protects minors.

The judge considered factors such as the accused’s immaturity, anxiety issues, impulsive behavior, ADHD, and troubled childhood, and noted that the Crown did not present sufficient evidence to warrant sentencing him as an adult.

The accused’s lawyer, Tiago Murias, expressed satisfaction with the decision, as they were aiming to avoid a life sentence.

In contrast, the other individual involved, 21-year-old Andrei Donet, was also convicted of second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison in June.

Donet will be eligible for parole in 13 years.

Quebec Superior Court Justice Annie Émond, during the sentencing of Andrei Donet in June, noted two key factors that worked against him: the severity of the crime and his behavior following the attack.

This included a video related to the crime that was posted on social media.

While awaiting trial, Donet was also charged for a violent assault on a fellow inmate.

The judge added an additional eight years for this second offense, but specified that it would be served concurrently with his life sentence for the murder of Jannai Dopwell-Bailey.