2 days ago
7 year sentence for man convicted of manslaughter in fatal Belvedere LRT stabbing
A man with a history of attacking transit riders has been sentenced for a random attack in north Edmonton that left a 52-year-old father dead two years ago.
Jamal Joshua Malik Wheeler pleaded guilty to manslaughter and has been sentenced to seven years in prison.
Police have arrested and charged 27-year-old Jamal Joshua Malik Wheeler with second-degree murder in relation to a man found dead at Belvedere LRT station on Sunday, July 9, 2023. supplied to Global News
The victim, Rukinisha Nkundabatware, left his home on July 9, 2023, at around 9 p.m. to meet up with a friend at the Belvedere Transit Centre.
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According to the agreed statement of facts, there was an unprovoked altercation at the LRT station between Nkundabatware and his friend, and a group that included Wheeler.
The statement went on to say Wheeler left the station and got a knife from his waistband or backpack.
Wheeler then ran towards the friend, but when the friend fled, Wheeler approached Nkundabatware and stabbed him in the chest, before running away.
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Nkundabatware crossed 129 Avenue, where he collapsed.
When emergency crews arrived, they found him lying on the road with blood loss from his torso and head area, the statement read.
There was an outpouring of support weeks after Nkundabatware's death, with a vigil taking place by the LRT station.
1:48
Edmonton LRT homicide victim honoured
Nkundabatware left the Congo in 2014 to escape violence in his home country in central Africa, only to die in the random stabbing. He was a father to seven children.
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Family and friends held a vigil for Rukinisha Nkundabatware who was killed near the Belvedere LRT station. Global News/Slav Kornik
Wheeler was initially charged with second-degree murder, but through court proceedings, it was downgraded to manslaughter.
The crown argued for a seven to nine-year sentence, citing that this was unprovoked and in a public setting.
The defence argued for a five or six year sentence, acknowledging that Wheeler is remorseful for his actions.
They asked the judge to consider Wheeler's troubled upbringing with domestic violence and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder — the defence argued the condition led to poor impulse control and poor social behaviour.
'I'm sorry for my actions and deeply regret what happened,' Wheeler told the courtroom on Monday.
The judge decided on seven years, weighing between Wheeler's acknowledgment of regret but also that Wheeler has had multiple run-ins with the justice system.
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Alberta court records show Wheeler has an extensive history of assault, robbery, and use of force, which includes three other incidents at transit centres.
The homicide sparked conversation within the province, the city and police around how to reduce violent crime in Edmonton.
It also prompted Mayor Amarjeet Sohi to write a letter to the federal justice minister requesting immediate bail reform.
With time served, Wheeler will have about four years left in his sentence.
–with files from Slav Kornik and Meaghan Archer, Global News
