GUILTY Canada - Jasmine Lovett, mid 20s, and daughter, 2, Calgary, 16 April 2019 *Arrest*

[MistyWaters]

I only recently realized this trial is before a Judge only. Therefore the verdict could be a few months down the road.


BBM

Defence disputes suggestion Robert Leeming murdered little girl | Calgary Herald
“Calgarian Robert Leeming murdered a little girl to cover up the killing of her mother, a prosecutor argued Tuesday.

But Leeming’s lawyer countered the Crown’s theory fails because the fatal injuries to Aliyah Sanderson weren’t caused in the same manner her mother was slain.

Defence counsel Balfour Der noted the 22-month-old’s injuries would not have been consistent with her being attacked with a hammer, like her mother was.

And Der said if Leeming resorted to killing the child to cover up murdering her mother, he would have used the same methods he used to cause the death of Jasmine Lovett.

Leeming, 36, admitted in his own testimony he bludgeoned Lovett, 25, with a hammer, before shooting his unconscious and bleeding victim once in the head to finish her off.

He said he attacked Lovett when she accused him of harming Aliyah, who he said was found unconscious in her crib after earlier falling on stairs while alone in his care.

Crown prosecutor Doug Taylor argued Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Keith Yamauchi should reject Leeming’s claim as an unbelievable attempt to cover up the truth — that he murdered Lovett because she accused him of sexually abusing her child and then killed Aliyah to cover up his crime…..”

 

[Satchie]

Closing arguments today. Defence lawyer argues that there's no evidence that Leeming murdered the child.

"The lawyer for a man who has admitted to murdering his former girlfriend but denies killing her daughter says a lack of evidence should raise reasonable doubt about his guilt, but the Crown says his denial is a calculated scheme to get away with the crime.
...

In his closing arguments Tuesday, defence lawyer Balfour Der said there is no evidence to prove that Leeming was responsible for the girl's death.

Der said the medical examiner who testified at the trial acknowledged that it was possible the toddler's head injuries were the result of a fall down stairs.

"The absence of evidence will support reasonable doubt,'' Der told Court of Queen's Justice Keith Yamauchi, who has heard the case without a jury.​

Murder or an accident: Robert Leeming's trial in toddler's death hears final arguments

I hate this particular line of defense, as though a non-involved person's response to an accident is 1. fail to call 911, 2. kill someone else and 3. hide both their bodies.

Accidents simply do not lead to this behaviour, IMO it's not possible that anyone sane would respond to an accidental death in this way.

JMO.

 

[ttcRider]

Mom of murdered daughter, granddaughter uses extra funds to open rooms at Calgary shelter - Calgary | Globalnews.ca

Kim Blankert — the mother of Jasmine Lovett and grandmother of Aliyah Sanderson, who were murdered in April 2019 — has used the extra money from a GoFundMe fundraiser meant to cover funeral expenses to open three pet-friendly rooms at the Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter

 

[otto]

Verdict next month.

"A Calgary judge says he will hand down a decision next month on whether a man who admitted to murdering his former girlfriend is also guilty of killing her daughter.
...

Leeming testified he was looking after Aliyah when she fell down some stairs, and he later found her limp and unresponsive.

He said he snapped when Lovett accused him of doing something to her child.​

Calgary man who killed Jasmine Lovett to learn verdict next month in her daughter's death

 

[MistyWaters]

Prosecutor having fun words… But I’m thankful the judge got it right, there’s too many obvious reasons RL should be held responsible for both deaths. Hopefully this serves as a small measure of justice to Jasmine and Aliyah, and their families as well. RIP, fly like a bird.

Judge finds Robert Leeming killed toddler after murdering her mother | Calgary Herald

“Taylor noted the accused told undercover officers posing as his new friends why he killed Lovett, but never referred to Aliyah, even to explain her death was accidental.

“ There are no points in bad guy land for killing kids, ” said Taylor, referring to the fact Leeming never raised the possibility he wasn’t responsible for the girl’s death.

“ No one would pass up that opportunity unless it was not an accident, ” the prosecutor said.”

 

[MistyWaters]

Wow, most of us here will remember this CBC interview, not that we believed him.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calg...ict-aliyah-sanderson-jasmine-lovett-1.6325223
“Before he was charged with the two murders, Leeming spoke with CBC News. In that interview, the judge found Leeming lied 21 times.

 

[Tortoise]

“Her injuries were not accidental. He meant to cause Aliyah’s death or meant to cause bodily harm to Aliyah that was likely to cause her death,” the judge said.

“Why would he not use his best efforts to find Aliyah help? Instead he went downstairs for a cigarette.”

A sentencing date for Leeming is to be set Feb. 11.

'We got justice': Man who killed girlfriend also found guilty in her toddler's death | National Post

 

[Tortoise]

Crown prosecutor Doug Taylor told court Friday that after consulting with Justice Keith Yamauchi’s assistant and the trial coordinator, it was determined sentencing submissions will be heard on April 13.

[...]

Under the Criminal Code Leeming’s parole ineligibility can be set at anywhere from 10 to 25 years for each murder. Yamauchi can also make those periods run at the same time, or consecutive to each other, meaning Leeming’s minimum custodial term can be set at anywhere from 10 to 50 years.

Child killer Robert Leeming to face April sentencing hearing | Calgary Herald

 

[MistyWaters]

Supreme Court ruling means convicted double-murderer won't face consecutive sentences

Robert Leeming pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Jasmine Lovett's death, but denied killing little Aliyah Sanderson.

calgaryherald.com

“…..Lawyers in the case of convicted double-killer Robert Leeming are now ready to move forward with his sentencing hearing after the Supreme Court on Friday struck down legislation allowing for consecutive periods of parole ineligibility for murderers linked to multiple killings.

Crown prosecutor Doug Taylor, who earlier had indicated he would be seeking consecutive periods for Leeming, told Justice Keith Yamauchi that with the top court’s ruling, he was now prepared to proceed to a sentencing hearing……

……..Taylor asked to adjourn the case to June 10 so he and defence counsel Balfour Der can co-ordinate their calendars with judges to set a date for Leeming’s sentencing hearing for the murders of a Calgary mom and her young daughter……

……..A conviction for second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence with judicial discretion to set parole ineligibility at between 10 and 25 years.

As a result of the top court’s decision, Yamauchi won’t be allowed to set consecutive periods of parole ineligibility, but he still can increase the number of years up to 25 based on the circumstances of Leeming’s case…..”

 

[dotr]

Nov 10 2022

Calgary man who killed girlfriend and her toddler must serve 22 years before parole

CALGARY - A judge says a man who killed a woman and her young daughter and buried them in a shallow grave near Calgary must serve 22 years before he c...

www.thestar.com

''CALGARY - A judge says a man who killed a woman and her young daughter and buried them in a shallow grave near Calgary must serve 22 years before he can apply for parole.

Robert Leeming, 37, pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Jasmine Lovett but not guilty to the death of 22-month-old Aliyah Sanderson. He was convicted earlier this year of second-degree murder in the toddler’s death.

Leeming showed no emotion as he was handed automatic life sentences for the murder convictions.''

“You murdered Jasmine Lovett, a woman who loved you. You breached her trust and committed the worst type of domestic violence imaginable,” Court of King’s Bench Justice Keith Yamauchi said as he delivered the sentence Thursday. “You killed her and you admitted to it.”

''Der said his client has a right to appeal the conviction in the murder of the child, and a decision will be made in the next 30 days''

 

[Tortoise]

What a long drawn out process this has been. I don't understand the delay in sentencing.

 

[Snoop Sister]

What a long drawn out process this has been. I don't understand the delay in sentencing.

Agreed!

 

[Gina20]

What a long drawn out process this has been. I don't understand the delay in sentencing.

This is not surprising, given the longstanding shortage of crown prosecutors in Alberta. Workloads are stretched to the max, resulting in delays. Add to that the busy schedule of the high-profile defence attorney in this case.

Alberta Crown prosecutors reach agreement with government | Globalnews.ca

The new agreement was ratified last Friday and was made between the Alberta Crown Attorneys' Association and the justice and finance ministries.

globalnews.ca

 

[JerseyGirl]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/robert-leeming-sentence-aliyah-sanderson-jasmine-lovett-1.6646437

The man who murdered a Calgary mother and her toddler daughter and then buried their bodies in shallow graves west of the city has been handed a life sentence with no chance of parole for 22 years.

Robert Leeming, 37, was convicted earlier this year of two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Jasmine Lovett and 22-month-old Aliyah Sanderson in April 2019.

The mother and daughter were found dead in Kananaskis Country in May 2019, weeks after they'd gone missing.