B.C. crossbow killer handed 5-year prison sentence for 2022 Langley murder

A B.C. antheral who utilized a crossbow successful a sidesplitting successful Langley 2 years agone has been sentenced to 5 years successful prison.

Jason Robert William Griffiths was originally charged with second-degree murder successful the March 29, 2022, sidesplitting of 29-year-old Nicholas Ball. At trial, Justice Michael Tammen recovered him blameworthy of the lesser offence of manslaughter.

The tribunal heard that Ball was changeable successful the bosom with a crossbow bolt pursuing an statement with Griffiths, who was stateless and camping successful a vacant lot.

At trial, the tribunal heard Ball had sent Griffiths hostile and threatening texts earlier Griffiths changeable him during a confrontation.

Justice Tammen rejected Griffiths’ statement the sidesplitting was successful self-defence, ruling his actions weren’t reasonable.

He noted that aft the killing, Griffiths removed the crossbow bolt from Balls’ body, which helium besides disposed of, past utilized drugs with different antheral earlier calling 911 the pursuing morning.

However, Tammen recovered determination was besides a tenable uncertainty that Griffiths’ had intended to termination Ball.

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In his reasons for sentencing, Tammen noted that Griffiths has had a substance usage upset for astir 2 decades that began erstwhile helium was prescribed oxycontin aft a motorcycle accident.

Griffiths had nary different transgression grounds and has committed nary different offences portion connected bail.

Aggravating factors successful the lawsuit were the usage of a deadly limb and the information that Griffiths took nary steps to get aesculapian assistance for Ball aft shooting him.

Mitigating factors included that Ball had antecedently threatened Griffiths and was behaving successful an assertive manner, and that Griffiths had expressed what Tammen recovered was genuine remorse.

Crown prosecutors had sought a nine-year situation sentence, portion Griffiths’ lawyer argued for a two-and-a-half to three-year sentence.

Tammen settled connected 5 years, which, aft recognition for clip served, leaves Griffiths with 2 years and 2 months much clip to serve.

He was besides served with a 10-year firearms prohibition and indispensable springiness a DNA sample.