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UPDATE: Ouimet sentenced to five years for Lacquette killing

By: Ian Hitchen

Thursday, Jun. 7, 2012 at 2:10 PM | Comments: 2

Jason John Ouimet sits in the back seat of an unmarked police car after entering a guilty plea in Brandon in May. (TIM SMITH / BRANDON SUN)

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Duane Lacquette (SUBMITTED)

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Anne Lacquette, the grandmother of Duane Lacquette, is comforted as she sobs outside the Brandon courthouse on Thursday after Jason John Ouimet was sentenced in the manslaughter death of her grandson. Ouimet was sentenced to five years in prison. (TIM SMITH/BRANDON SUN)

Former soldier Jason John Ouimet has been sentenced to five years in prison for the choking death of Duane "Jon Jon" Lacquette.

Calling it a "truly tragic" case, Justice John Menzies delivered the sentence in Brandon Court of Queen's Bench today.

In agreeing to the joint recommendation by Crown and defence, Menzies accepted that Ouimet was being sexually assaulted by Lacquette and reacted in anger.

"You have suffered a loss that I cannot even begin to comprehend," Menzies told Lacquette's family.

Lacqueete, 21, was found dead in the basement of his home on the 3600-block of Centennial Boulevard on Jan. 16, 2010.

Ouimet, who was a soldier posted at CFB Shilo, was arrested on Feb. 4, 2010.

He was released on bail and entered a guilty plea to manslaughter on April 30. Sentencing was then set for today.

About 30 of Lacquette's friends and family attended the hearing. Ouimet's mother and stepfather were also in the courtroom.

Crown attorney Jim Ross described how, on the night of the killing, Ouimet had attended a party at Lacquette's home.

As the party wore on into the early morning, Ouimet passed out on a couch in the basement and there came a point where only he and Lacquette remained in the home.

Lacquette was gay, and court heard that Ouimet awoke to find a naked Lacquette lying on top of him.

Defence lawyer Roberta Campbell said Ouimet had "suction marks" on his penis.

In a fury, Ouimet punched Lacquette at least three times in the head and then put the victim in a UFC choke hold.

Campbell said adrenaline and shock took over and Ouimet used too much force to restrain Lacquette.

Ouimet is five-foot-nine and 200 pounds and an experienced boxer. Lacquette was five-foot-seven, 164 pounds and had no skills as a fighter.

When he realized Lacquette was dead, Ouimet covered the body with a blanket and fled the home, Ross said.

Campbell said the killing didn't happen because Lacquette was gay.

"This is a reaction to being sexually assaulted," Campbell said as she explained her client's actions.

The court proceedings featured a number of emotional statements made by Lacquette's family, including his deaf father, Dwayne, who is unable to speak.

"If Jon Jon could speak to Jason now he would say, 'I forgive you,'" Lacquette's uncle read on Dwayne's behalf.

Ouimet apologized to Lacquette's family.

"I'm very sorry for your loss," Ouimet said. "I didn't mean for anyone to lose their life on that night."

Ouimet's mother and Lacquette's mother both broke into tears after Menzies delivered his sentence.

Ouimet, 31, was a gunner with 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery at the time of the killing.

A CFB Shilo spokeswoman says Ouimet was "released" from the Armed Forces on May 25 following a review.

» For further details and reaction to the sentence, see tomorrow's Brandon Sun in print and online.

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Posted by:famoushiguy

June 8, 2012 at 1:50 AM

You think if you had boxing skills he would have been knocked out on the first strike?
So why more shots, why was he strangled if he was already knocked out..
Why did he leave the crime scene if he knew jon jon was dead, why would they believe his story if he had no proof of evidence if it took 2 weeks before he was arrested.
5 years is to light for someone who has boxing and military experiences, he knew what he was doing and in 5 years he will be back out and then who else is going to suffer because of such a stupid sentence.
Even if Dwanye (jon jon) did do that, it is still not something that he should have been killed over and thanks to our canadian justice system for this light sentence for something that could have been treated in more differently manner what are the chances that Jason will be a repeat offender?
Sorry or not Jason John Ouimet deserves alot more time and should have been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parol for FIRST DEGREE MURDER....

Posted by:Solidus

June 7, 2012 at 9:21 PM

Yes, in other words, he got away with killing an indian.
...and the Justice system didn't bat an eye.

Great job.

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