A man who shot his friend in the head at a New Year's Eve party in Surrey nearly four years ago will serve life in prison with no chance to parole for at least 10 years.
Jamie Harris, also known as Jamie Farrell, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Vancouver Supreme Court in September. While second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence, by law, parole eligibility can be set anywhere between 10 and 25 years. On Monday, Harris was told he could not apply for parole until he's served a minimum 10 years in prison.
Adam Hanson, 29, was killed on Dec. 31, 2008 at a house party near 112 Avenue and 134 Street in Surrey. Harris, now 33, wasn't charged until August 2010. The court heard that Harris, who had taken a gun to the party, intervened during an argument Hanson was having with a woman, and shot the victim in the head.
When Harris entered his guilty plea in September, Hanson's mother issued a public statement thanking witnesses for coming forward.
"It took a lot of courage for the witnesses to stand up and tell the truth and for Jamie to admit responsibility," said Janet Hanson. "We, as a family, are hoping that, if anything positive can come from this tragedy, it is our restored faith that people will stand up for justice and tell the truth."