EIGHT KEY WARRIORS JAILED

Four Low-level Gang Members Set Free As Historic Trial Comes To End

Eight key members of the Manitoba Warriors were given a new home yesterday
- -- Stony Mountain penitentiary -- while four lower-level gang members were
set free when Manitoba's largest and most expensive trial came to an end.

Queen's Bench Justice Nathan Nurgitz sentenced the core group to prison
terms of between two-and-a-half and four-and-a-half years, on top of the 20
months they have already spent in custody at the Remand Centre.

The men, including the gang president and vice-president, pleaded guilty
earlier this month to conspiracy to traffic cocaine, which carries a
maximum life sentence.

Defence lawyers had pleaded for lenient sentences, citing their clients'
aboriginal backgrounds, difficult upbringings, religious beliefs and the
unusual circumstances of the case, which began in November 1998.

But Nurgitz agreed with the Crown's sentencing suggestions for all but two
of the Warriors, and only budged slightly on those.

"Obviously, everyone may not be happy, but in my view, justice will have
been served," said Nurgitz.

"This is a criminal organization, albeit a lower-level one."

He called drug traffickers such as the Warriors a "cancer" in our society
who create "a mountain of human misery".

Gang president William Pangman, who some supporters say can be a prominent
national leader one day, received the longest sentence of four-and-a-half
years.

Vice-president Isadore Vermette, who is the half-brother of NDP MLA Eric
Robinson, was sentenced to four years in prison.

Three other accused received three years in prison, one man was given two
years, eight months behind bars, and the remaining pair got two-and-a-half
years.

Defence lawyers were disappointed with the length of sentences and will
consider filing an appeal.

"This case has been an embarrassment to the administration of justice in
Manitoba," said Dave Phillips, who was the lead defence lawyer in the case.

"Their rights have been repeatedly violated, they did not receive anything
resembling a fair trial and we all have some responsibility for what unfolded."

Prior to the mass plea bargains this month, 22 other gang members had opted
out of the trial under joint recommendations between the Crown and defence.

Many of them received sentences that amounted to six to nine years in
prison, once pre-trial custody was factored in. However, defence lawyers
argued they simply agreed to the terms to put an end to the nightmarish case.

"This whole case was based on the Crown getting people to plead guilty
based on their discomfort after being denied bail," said Phillips.

Under federal parole provisions, some of those sentenced could be home for
Christmas.

"It's a fundamental rule that we don't consider what parole will do. We
formulated our position on sentencing to be what we thought was fair," lead
Crown attorney Bob Morrison said yesterday.

Rob Finlayson, assistant deputy attorney general, viewed the proceedings in
person and broke his long-standing silence on the case by assuring
Manitobans it was money well spent.

"At the end of the day, we have some 32 convictions (two of the accused who
pleaded guilty were to be used as informants) amounting to some 170 years
in prison. The citizens of this province are very well served by this," he
said.

Although he admitted mistakes were made along the way, Finlayson said they
would likely do the same thing if given another chance.

"The evidence we had suggested we should proceed in this way. Of course, we
want to take a look at the lessons we have learned, but if presented with
the evidence this way again, we would proceed."

Four of the accused walked out of the courthouse.

They had pleaded guilty to simple drug trafficking, and not the more
serious charge of conspiracy to traffic cocaine, and received sentences of
time spent in custody under joint-agreements between the Crown and defence.

"I feel happy, pretty good that it's all over," said Wade Courchene as he
drove away from the courthouse.

One man remains before the court on drug charges relating to the Warriors
case and is expected to go to trial in October.

Sheldon Clarke was released on bail last week.