A father convicted of abandoning his mortally wounded son outside an Edmonton church three years ago has been sentenced to nearly a decade in prison.
Joey Crier was handed a nine-and-a-half year sentence Tuesday following his conviction for manslaughter in the death of his 19-month-old son, Anthony Raine. Queen’s Bench Justice David Labrenz accepted a joint sentencing submission from the Crown and defence, who agreed the sentence was appropriate.
With credit for pretrial custody, Crier has around three years left to serve.
“I failed in my obligation as a father (and) as a son, there’s no way to (right) this wrong,” Crier wrote in a letter submitted to the court. “I failed and I’ve cried every (night) for the last 39 months because I’ve failed … I’ll be saying, and will be sorry for the rest of my life.
“I never meant for any of this.”
Last days ‘full of violence’
The sentence brings to a close the tragic story, which began when Raine’s bruised body was discovered beneath a blanket outside Good Shepherd Anglican Church, April 21, 2017.
Raine was badly malnourished, suffering from a broken rib and lacerations inside his mouth. An autopsy determined he died of a skull fracture, which he likely suffered within 18 hours of death.
An Edmonton homicide detective who investigated the case said Raine’s last days were “full of violence .”
Raine’s mother, Dalyce Raine, entrusted Crier with the baby on April 17, 2017. A homeowner with whom Crier and then girlfriend Tasha-Lee Mack lived with said she heard crying and smacking sounds coming from the couple’s room. The roommate, who heard Crier tell the baby to “shut up and go to sleep,” said the couple tried to conceal Raine and his injuries.
Security cameras later captured Mack and Crier pushing a stroller near the church where Raine’s body was discovered. The two were arrested a short while later and charged with second-degree murder.
Credit granted for remand abuse
Crier and Mack were tried separately. Both were convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Judges in both cases found the Crown failed to prove who struck the blow that killed Raine, or that there was any murderous intent behind the violence.
Mack was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison in June.
In February, defence lawyer Tania Shapka successfully argued Crier should receive a reduced sentence due to Charter violations he suffered in the Edmonton Remand Centre.
The Crown admitted Crier experienced cruel and unusual punishment by being locked up 23 hours a day with little to no human contact. He also had his cell “fecal bombed” by another inmate.
In addition, Crier endured taunts from correctional staff, some of whom suggested he kill himself.
Labrenz agreed to credit Crier 2.5 days for every day spent in the jail’s administrative segregation unit, bringing his total time-served to 6.5 years.
The judge also found aspects of Crier’s Indigenous background mitigated his “moral blameworthiness.”
A Gladue report determined Crier’s parents are residential school survivors, who suffered abuse in the state-sanctioned institutions.
He is one of eight siblings, three of whom died young — two by suicide.
Labrenz said Crier’s circumstances “do reflect social and economic deprivation, as well as intergenerational trauma” related to his Indigenous experience. He also highlighted trauma-related substance abuse in Crier’s family, noting Crier was using crystal meth around the time of Anthony’s death.
‘I just want to know why’
Initially, there was an outpouring of support following Anthony’s death, with 3,000 teddy bears and 400 floral arrangements donated for Raine’s memorial service.
Luci Johnson, a Maskwacis support worker, told court that Dalyce Raine has since been subject to abuse on social media — “gross, disrespectful comments that should have been projected (on Crier).”
In a victim impact statement, Dalyce Raine said she still struggles to understand why her son was taken from her.
“I just want to know why,” Raine said in her statement, which was read by a family friend. “Why couldn’t he (Crier) just give him (Anthony) back to me instead of putting him through that pain and hurt … and letting him die alone?”
“I wish I could see his face and smile one more time and how much joy he brought into my life and my family’s life,” she said of Anthony. “He was so curious about everything and he was the best little guy ever.”
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2020
