A Manitoba man who stabbed an acquaintance to death in “an unprovoked attack” over a missing cellphone has seen his prison sentence reduced by a year due to his Indigenous status and because he took his victim to hospital, where the man later died from internal bleeding.

Dean Richard Bell pleaded guilty to manslaughter for “fatally” stabbing Calvin Chartrand on Jan. 13, 2024, while they were walking past each other on Main Street in Swan River, Man.

Recommended Videos

“I would impose a sentence of eight years,” provincial court Judge Geoffrey H. Bayly wrote in a recent decision.

“However, I believe that the Gladue factors relevant to this offender mitigate his moral culpability. Additionally, the fact that he made efforts to ensure his victim received medical treatment is also signific

See Full Page