SASKATOON — Sentencing for Katlim Desjarlais-Kelly in the death of 48-year-old Arden Panipekeesick didn’t proceed as scheduled on May 21.
Desjarlais-Kelly’s defence lawyer Patrick McDougall asked the court for an adjournment so a Gladue report can be compiled. Justice Krista L. Zerr has rescheduled the sentencing to July 3.
A Gladue report analyzes the unique systemic and background factors affecting an Indigenous person, including the lasting impacts of colonialism. The report’s purpose is to assist judges in applying Section 718.2(e) of the Criminal Code, which requires sentencing judges to consider restorative justice and community-based sanctions, such as fines, probation, or healing circles, before resorting to jail time, provided these alternatives are safe and appropriate for the offence.
In February, Desjarlais-Kelly was convicted of manslaughter following a jury trial in Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench.
Panipekeesick was fatally shot on the city’s west side on Feb. 10, 2024. Police were called to 238 Avenue K North in Caswell Hill shortly before 7 a.m. for reports of an injured man. They found Panipekeesick suffering from a gunshot wound.
Crown prosecutor Lee Hnatiuk told the jury that moments before the shooting, Panipekeesick had been yelling at Desjarlais-Kelly to “get out” of his home. Hnatiuk said the confrontation escalated quickly, ending with a single gunshot that struck Panipekeesick in the neck.
Cst. Erin Anthony, the first officer on scene, testified on Jan. 28 that she responded alone to a priority-one 911 call at 6:47 a.m. She described a chaotic, blood-soaked scene and said backup was “quite some time” away.
Cst. Anthony told the court she had to balance officer safety with the urgency of the victim’s condition.
“Being first to arrive on scene to a high-risk call where a firearm was likely involved is a pretty harrowing feeling,” she said. “I needed to be cognizant that a firearm may still be present in the residence.”
She testified that she tried life saving measures on Panipekeesick until paramedics arrived. He was pronounced dead about 10 minutes later.
