3rd man sentenced for 2011 manslaughter

A guilty plea to a manslaughter charge has resulted in a seven-year prison sentence for a young Prince Albert man for his role in a 2011 death – a year less than his co-accused.

Cory Joseph Constant was 19 when he was charged with second-degree murder. On Wednesday — three years later — a Court of Queen’s Bench justice sentenced him for his role in the death of Anthony Martin Custer.

Custer was 41 years old when a group of three men chased him down, got into a fight, and stabbed him many times in the city’s West Flat.

Prince Albert Police issued an arrest warrant for Constant days after the July 12, 2011 attack that left Custer dead.

Constant has been in prison since then. During the Court of Queen’s Bench sentencing, Constant’s defence counsel Rick Bell detailed safety risks to his client while on remand.

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Bell told the court three separate violent incidents occurred, mostly flowing from Constant’s co-operation with police. Bell said Constant was “ready to do the right thing” when he spoke to police.

However, behind bars this left him with a broken jaw, according the Bell. He added Constant was transferred to Regina’s Correctional Centre for those reasons.

Bell said Constant did not stab Custer.

Crown and defence came to the sentencing with a join submission, requesting the seven-year sentence with five years credit plus a day for Constant’s time spent in remand.

Justice D.B. Konkin agreed with their request, meaning Constant has two years less a day left to serve.

When Konkin asked if Constant had anything to say, his response was “sorry for wasting your guys’ time. That’s all I have to say.”

His family was present at the sentencing but declined to comment.

How Custer died

An account shared with paNOW at that time detailed Custer running for protection in a nearby home’s doorway before he was pulled back out, later left bleeding in the street. 

Custer suffered stab wounds to his upper chest and ribs, dying of blood loss after 10:30 p.m. that night in an ambulance.

Sonny Fiddler and Lionel Sewap were originally charged with second degree murder a day before Constant was charged.

However, the knife used to stab him was never recovered. That left little more than witness testimony to figure out who used the knife, making them primarily responsible for the death. No witnesses were sure who struck the fatal blow.

Fiddler and Sewap pleaded to manslaughter this April and received a sentence of eight years and two months in prison. With credit for time served they still have about three and a half years to serve.

The two also received a lifetime weapons ban.

Meanwhile, Constant received a 10-year weapons ban.

claskowski@panow.com

On Twitter: @chelsealaskowsk