Criminal Code, section 231(7)
Second degree murder
What the law says
- Maximum
- Life imprisonment
- Mandatory minimum
- Mandatory life sentence
- Kind of offence
- Violent, causing death
Mandatory life (s.235); parole ineligibility 10 to 25 years set by the judge (s.745(c)). Consecutive periods under s.745.51 struck down: R. v. Bissonnette, 2022 SCC 23.
57 cases with this offence
- July 10, 202610 years imprisonment less 1,130 days pre-sentence credit; 82 months going forward
- July 9, 2026R. v. K.C., 2026 BCSC 1289
- Below the Crown's ask
Life imprisonment on each count, concurrent; no parole eligibility for 17 yearsLife sentence - May 26, 2026Life imprisonment, no parole for 10 years (concurrent on both counts)Life sentence
- May 15, 2026R. v. Freeman, 2026 BCSC 998
- Below the Crown's ask
Life imprisonment, no parole for 10 years (second degree murder); 8 years concurrent for manslaughterLife sentence - February 13, 2026R. v. Downey, 2026 BCSC 322
- Below the Crown's ask
Life imprisonment, no parole for 12 yearsLife sentence - January 16, 2026Life imprisonment, no parole for 13 yearsLife sentence
- January 8, 2026Life imprisonment, no parole for 13 years (second degree murder); 8 years concurrent for manslaughter with a firearmLife sentence
- November 25, 2025R. v. Christensen, 2025 BCSC 2353
- Below the Crown's ask
Life imprisonment, no parole for 13 and a half yearsLife sentence - November 17, 2025Life imprisonment, no parole for 10 years (from arrest)Life sentence
- November 4, 2025R. v. Alexander, 2025 BCSC 2651
- Below the Crown's ask
Life imprisonment, no parole for 10 yearsLife sentence - October 24, 2025R. v. Drake, 2025 NSSC 339
- Below the Crown's ask
Life imprisonment, no parole for 17 yearsLife sentence - October 16, 2025R. v. Bentil, 2025 BCSC 2116
- Below the Crown's ask
Life imprisonment, no parole for 10 yearsLife sentence - September 22, 2025R. v. Priddle, 2025 BCSC 2538
- Below the Crown's ask
Life imprisonment, no parole for 10 years; 24 months concurrent (robbery), 6 months concurrent (motor vehicle theft)Life sentence - July 16, 2025Life imprisonment, no parole for 12 yearsLife sentence
- July 2, 2025Life imprisonment, no parole for 10 yearsLife sentence
- April 29, 2025R. v. Omar, 2025 BCSC 915
- On release at the time
Life imprisonment, no parole for 13 yearsLife sentence - March 15, 2025R. v. MacNeil, 2025 NSSC 132
- Below the Crown's ask
Life imprisonment, no parole for 12 yearsLife sentence - March 7, 2025Life imprisonment, no parole for 20 yearsLife sentence
- February 7, 2025Life imprisonment on each count, concurrent, no parole for 14 yearsLife sentence
- February 6, 2025R. v. P.J.L., 2025 BCSC 391
- Below the Crown's ask
Life imprisonment, no parole for 12 years; concurrent 4 years for indignity to human remainsLife sentence - January 28, 2025Life imprisonment, no parole for 20 yearsLife sentence
- November 22, 2024Life imprisonment, no parole eligibility for 17 yearsLife sentence
- November 19, 2024R. v. W.W.C., 2024 BCSC 2253
- On release at the time
Life imprisonment on each of two counts, no parole eligibility for 18 yearsLife sentence - October 11, 2024R. v. Wareing, 2024 BCSC 1895
- Below the Crown's ask
Life imprisonment, no parole for 14 years; 13 years for attempted murder with a firearmLife sentence - September 12, 2024R. v. Adams-Clarke, 2024 NSSC 279
- Below the Crown's ask
- On release at the time
Life imprisonment, no parole for 12 yearsLife sentence
Judges who sentenced this offence
- The Honourable Justice Heather J. Holmes
- The Honourable Justice Joshua M. Arnold
- The Honourable Justice Anthony Saunders
- The Honourable Justice Brenda Brown
- The Honourable Justice Catherine A. Wedge
- The Honourable Justice James L. Chipman
- The Honourable Justice Kathleen M. Ker
- The Honourable Justice Michael Tammen
- The Honourable Justice Murray B. Blok
- The Honourable Justice Pierre L. Muise
- The Honourable Justice Robin A. M. Baird
- The Honourable Justice S. Dev Dley
- The Honourable Justice Terence A. Schultes
- The Honourable Justice Andrea L. Ormiston
- The Honourable Justice Andrew P. A. Mayer
- The Honourable Justice Christa M. Brothers
- The Honourable Justice Denise M. Boudreau
- The Honourable Justice F. Matthew Kirchner
- The Honourable Justice Gary P. Weatherill
- The Honourable Justice Geoffrey R. J. Gaul
- The Honourable Justice Jan Brongers
- The Honourable Justice Jasvinder S. Basran
- The Honourable Justice Jeffrey R. Hunt
- The Honourable Justice John P. Bodurtha
- The Honourable Justice Kevin Coady
- The Honourable Justice Laura B. Gerow
- The Honourable Justice Lisa A. Warren
- The Honourable Justice Marguerite H. Church
- The Honourable Justice Michael J. Brundrett
- The Honourable Justice Miriam A. Maisonville