Winnipeg man convicted of second-degree murder handed life sentence, no parole for 14 years

The man convicted in the 2019 murder of a Winnipeg lawyer has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for more than a decade.

Keishawn Mitchell appeared in person in a Manitoba courtroom Thursday as Justice Gerald Chartier delivered the sentence. In November, a jury convicted Mitchell of second-degree murder in the killing of 32-year-old Justin Silicz, a Winnipeg lawyer.

Chartier pointed out a second-degree murder conviction carries with it a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.

On Thursday, Mitchell was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 14 years, along with a DNA order and a mandatory lifelong weapons prohibition.

“A criminal act such as this one is a one-time occurrence but the effects of the crime on others and on society have enduring consequences. A life has been taken and close relationships are severed forever," Chartier said during the sentencing hearing.

"In this case, a father and mother have lost a son, a brother has lost a brother, a sister-in-law has lost a brother-in-law, and nephews have lost an uncle. Friendships are forever gone.”

Silicz was killed following a confrontation in the early morning hours of June 12, 2019.

Court heard Silicz and two others had left an after-hours bar on Notre Dame Avenue and were walking back to Silicz's vehicle just after 4:30 a.m. when they were came across Mitchell, who was with two other people.

Court heard Mitchell asked one of the people with Silicz for a cigarette, which eventually led to a verbal argument. Chartier said Mitchell punched Silicz's friend in the face, and when Silicz tried to intervene he was stabbed.

Chartier said Mitchell stabbed Silicz twice—one hitting his lung, the other severed a rib and went into his stomach, resulting in blood loss and caused Silicz's death.

Chartier said Mitchell had initiated the violence by throwing the first punch and had the upper hand throughout the altercation.

"He was unscathed in the incident. He was armed with a knife—a knife he used very quickly in the exchange," Chartier said.

“That the two groups were complete strangers mere minutes prior to the murder adds to the senselessness of the killing.”

Chartier said Mitchell's high moral culpability in the murder requires the parole ineligibility period be increased. He noted Mitchell had expressed remorse at previous court hearings.

In a statement to CTV News, the family of Silicz said they don't know how to recover.

"The depth of your love makes the grief longer. We appreciate that justice in this world has been delivered," the statement reads in part.

"Justin was a peacemaker, who tried to deescalate a confrontation, and he ultimately laid down his life for his friends."

Mitchell's lawyer Mike Cook told CTV News he has been instructed to appeal both the conviction and the sentence.