Lying to police 'not a minor offence' judge tells witness in Morin Street shooting case

A young woman pleaded guilty Monday to an obstruction of justice charge stemming from a statement she gave city police in connection with a fatal Feb. 10, 2018 shooting on Morin Street.

Christina Landriault, 22, faced a count of perjury for making a false statement under oath, but the Crown accepted a plea to the lesser included offence of obstruction.

Ontario Court Justice Romuald Kwolek heard the charge was connected to the death of 23-year-old Christopher Swanson.

The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service received an emergency call about a man, who was being transported to hospital by two women, that they had discovered in a snowbank in the area of Morin Street.

Landriault told officers they found "the kid who had been shot," prosecutor Stuart Woods said.

When she spoke to police, the accused indicated she thought he was drunk, that he "had blood on his face" and "they panicked and drove him to hospital," the assistant Crown attorney said.

During a 911 call, en route to hospital, indications were that Swanson was breathing, but he succumbed to his wounds, Woods said.

He told Kwolek that video surveillance on Albert Street, prior to that, showed the women, along with other people, were in the company of the deceased.

On Feb. 20, Landriault gave police a subsequent statement, saying she didn't know the deceased and these people, and what occurred was "a drug deal gone bad."

They were going to buy drugs, and had money, she said, questioning why "would we rip someone off."

She said she found the kid on the road and heard he had been shot in a house.

"You know how slow the ambulance is. It was cold and I didn't want him to wait," she told police.

Landriault gave conflicting statements, and aspects of the Feb. 10 statement were not truthful, Woods said.

Defence lawyer Lindsay Marshall asked Kwolek to grant her client – a first-time offender with no prior criminal record – an absolute or conditional discharge.

The young woman had issues with substance abuse and was "using quite heavily at the time," she said.

Referring to a pre-sentence report, Marshall noted that Landriault has been on a methadone program since the occurrence, and also is dealing with psychiatric issues.

"She's taken a lot of steps and has been consistent for over a year," Marshall said. "She has put a lot of work into turning her life around."

This work included completing a personal support worker program and if she has a criminal record she won't be able to be employed in that area, the lawyer said.

Citing the seriousness of the offence, Woods suggested that a discharge is not appropriate.

"It is extremely aggravating that the accused lied to police about a fatality," he said, adding it “is not a minor offence."

This charge goes to the core of the administration of justice, and a message has to be sent that this conduct in not appropriate, Woods told the court. "It goes beyond the pale.”

The Crown asked Kwolek to impose a suspended sentence and 12 months probation.

Kwolek said he was torn between the need to express denunciation and deterrence for this very serious offence and keeping Landriault on the path she is now on.

"I have to send the message that this is not to be tolerated," he told the young woman.

"You obstructed justice by not being honest."

He noted there was no indication that Landriault was involved in the fatality and she had taken this person to the hospital.

The judge called her pre-sentence report "one of the more positive" he has seen.

"It appears you have substantial difficulties and have done something to turn your life around."

Kwolek decided he was going to be "creative" in the sentence, granting a conditional discharge and placing Landriault on supervised probation for two years, with a requirement that she do 150 hours of community service.

The community work must be completed with 18 months, and if it isn't she will have to come back to court, he said.

This gives back to the community and has a punitive nature, Kwolek said.

Landriault must also attend counselling and rehabilitative programs for substance abuse and psychiatric issues.

"I think probation can make a difference for you," the judge told her.

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