Jannai Dopwell-Bailey murder: second person convicted to be sentenced as a minor

A Quebec Youth Court judge ruled on Friday that the second person convicted of 16-year-old Jannai Dopwell-Bailey’s death in 2021 will be sentenced as a minor.

The judge denied the Crown’s request to sentence the accused, who was 16 at the time of the murder, as an adult.

Inside the courtroom, the judge noted that his level of maturity, other behavioural issues, and cognitive challenges all played a role in her ruling. 

Dopwell-Bailey was attacked and stabbed repeatedly outside his school in Côte-des-Neiges on Oct. 18, 2021. He rushed into the school to seek help and later died in hospital.

Charla Dopwell, Jannai’s mother, said after the hearing that she was “disappointed” with the judgment.

“He’s going to come out very young and go on with his life while I am home with my children and my husband and we’re suffering of the loss of my son,” said Dopwell.

In 2023, the accused was found guilty of second-degree murder in Dopwell-Bailey’s death. The young man cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, as he was a minor at the time of the murder.

After Friday’s hearing, the accused’s lawyer, Tiago Murias, said he was happy with the decision.

“It’s no longer life that he’s facing so for us that’s what matters at this point,” said Murias.

In Canada, second-degree murder results in a life sentence, with no chance of parole for 10 years. For youth, the maximum sentence is seven years, with up to four years spent in custody.

The other person in this case, Andrei Donet, was also found guilty of second-degree murder and was sentenced in June to life in prison for the Montreal teen’s death. The 21-year-old will be eligible for parole in 13 years.

“Both youths did the killing. Both youths have blood on their hands. And I don’t think it’s right for one to get light sentence and the other, both of them deserve life sentences,” said Dopwell.

Quebec Superior Court Justice Annie Émond said during her sentencing of Dronet in June that he had two factors working against him, including the severity of the crime and his behaviour after the attack – referring to a video about the crime that was posted to social media.

During his detention amid waiting for his trial, Donet was charged for a violent assault on a fellow inmate

The judge added eight years for the second offence, saying it will be served concurrently with the murder sentence.

They will be back in court Sept. 24 for what’s considered a first hearing on sentencing.

“I have a lifetime of thinking about my son every day and suffering and missing him,” said Dopwell.