It will be at least 14 years before the first of James Ronald Taylor's killers walks the street again.
Devon Paskimin, 27, and Francis Yukon, 33, both convicted in June in Taylor's brutal murder inside a basketball court at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary that occurred on Dec. 22, 2005, will be ineligible for parole for 14 and 16 years respectively.
In his judgment, Justice M.D. Popescul described the murder as "brutal" and "despicable," arguing a "strong and unmistakable signal" must be sent that such actions will not be tolerated.
"The sentence must be such to make cold-blooded killings not worth it," he said, extending the parole ineligibility from a minimum of 10 years.
The two received an automatic life sentence in June when convicted of second degree murder.
Yukon stabbed Taylor five times during a basketball game while Paskimin held him from behind, preventing his escape. The murder occurred less than six hours after Taylor was transferred to the Saskatchewan Penitentiary and just five months from when he was scheduled to be released.
One of the stabs cut straight through Taylor's heart, killing him "almost instantaneously," said Popescul.
For more information, including reaction from the lawyers and statements from Taylor's family, see Friday's issue of the Daily Herald.
