Two and a half years after the stabbing of Brett Wiese at a Calgary party, 22-year-old Mitchell Harkes was found guilty of second-degree murder.
The decision was made by a Calgary jury Saturday, Oct. 3 after days of trial regarding the case. Harkes follows Jazlyn Radke, who was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for seven years in the same case in May.
Hearing the decision created a sense of closure for the Wiese family who have endured over 50 days in court since Wiese’s murder.
“The verdict on Saturday was very powerful for us as the truth emerged,” said Brett’s mother Brenda in an interview.
“It takes away having no control on a process that is completely in someone else’s hands, even though we are completely tied to it,” she added.
For her, the most important aspect of the verdict showed that Brett was attempting to stop a fight from happening. “He died being a peacekeeper.”
The family had to relive Brett’s death each time they attended court and Brenda said that has taken its toll on those closely involved in the case.
A big source of strength for Brenda, and the family, was being able to be Brett’s voice and to seek some justice from the fateful day that he was stabbed. The jury’s decision has allowed the family to move on with their lives. Another source of strength was hearing Ponoka residents found some inspiration from the family and their steadfastness.
Brenda has spoken to many residents who said they have re-evaluated their lives and have taken time to remember each other. She said if Brett’s death created even one change in a family’s life, then she suggests there is value in that. For the near future, the family intends to finish the last part of the trial, which includes providing impact statements and hearing sentencing from the judge.
She added that now is a time to celebrate life and to enjoy its beauty and to move on.
Brenda also praised Crown prosecutor Carla MacPhail and her assistant James Thomas as well as Det. John Orr from the Calgary Police Service for their dedication to the case.
At the time of production, a sentence for Harkes was not yet announced.
Update:
Harkes was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 12 years during sentencing on Tuesday, Oct. 6 in Calgary.