Friday, October 24, 2014

January Lapuz Update

Will continue to monitor this north of the border case and see if the Canadian justice system is better than the one in my own nation when it concerns dispensing justice in the murder of trans individuals.
--TransGriot, July 20, 2013

Based on the result of this case, inconclusive.

When I last checked in on this case, Charles Neel was facing second degree murder charges in the stabbing death of trans pinay January Lapuz.

The 26 year old Lapuz was stabbed in her New Westminster, BC home in September 2012 and died in a local hospital a few days later.   Neel was arrested in December 5 and charged in the case with a trial start date of June 9, 2014.

One the date the jury trial was supposed to start, Neel pleaded guilty in BC Supreme Court to the lesser charge of manslaughter.  He accepted responsibility for Lapuz's death, but didn't admit the intent to kill her.

He was sentenced on June 12 to 8 years in prison, which will be reduced further due to time served to five years and three months.

Was justice served here?   Depends on your point of view in this case.

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