A woman who stabbed her common-law husband in the chest and killed him in their North Delta home in the summer of 2011 has yet to be sentenced, but already has plans to appeal her conviction.
Beatrice Thomas, 40, was found guilty in July 2014 of manslaughter in the death of 38-year-old Quannah O'Soup. Her sentencing hearing began Friday (May 29) in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster.
According to comments in one of the pre-sentencing reports read by Crown prosecutor Jennifer Lopes, Thomas plans to appeal her conviction.
It was July 3, 2011 when Thomas and O'Soup were partying with two friends – drinking and smoking crack cocaine – at their duplex near 115 Street and 80 Avenue. O'Soup went to the living room to turn up the music. Thomas also went into the room to stop him because her children were sleeping. But she was carrying a knife. What happened next is unclear, but O'Soup ended up with a stab wound on the left side of his chest that punctured his heart and lung.
Thomas was originally charged with second-degree murder, but found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter last July. Suggestions Thomas acted in self-defence were dismissed by the trial judge, but he agreed it was unclear exactly what had happened in the living room that evening.
Portions of victim impact statements submitted by O'Soup's family were read in court by Lopes.
O'Soup's eldest child (he has five children from a previous relationship) said he was "speechless and numb" when he learned of his dad's death.
"There's no words how I felt when I had to tell my mom and other siblings… no child should endure this," he said.
Two other sons said their father's death had a detrimental impact on their self-worth, while his eldest daughter said she still suffers from depression as a result.
"I was and still am really angry," said O'Soup's youngest daughter.
His brother, Howard O'Soup Jr., who attended most of Thomas' trial, said the void left in his life due to Quannah's death is indescribably vast.
Their father (Howard O'Soup Sr.) said when Quannah was killed "it was like someone had ripped my heart right out of me."
The senior Howard also said he had compassion for Thomas and the effects of substance abuse, but said it was all about resolution.
"You have to help yourself first so you can help others," he said.
Thomas' two youngest daughters – she has seven children in total – were present in the home the night O'Soup was killed but did not witness the stabbing.
She has been living in a substance abuse treatment centre for the past two years and while she has little contact with her older five children, she sees her youngest two regularly. She says she is currently clean and sober and is committed to breaking the cycle of abuse that has afflicted her family.
Crown counsel is seeking a two-year jail sentence for Thomas. The defence has not finished its sentencing submissions.
Thomas' sentencing hearing is scheduled to continue June 17.