Two crack-house operators who killed Mark "Chico" Baptiste in 2002 have been sentenced to four years and six months in jail for manslaughter, in addition to the 21 months they had already spent in jail awaiting trial.
That sentence was handed down in Vancouver Supreme Court July 2.
Baptiste was found lying in a pool of blood in a parking lot of the Malaspina bus station, where a well-known crack house then operated from an apartment upstairs. He later died of his head injuries.
Eric Henderson, 31, and Jason Donald Richer, 24, of Abbotsford, were initially charged with second-degree murder. After a month-long trial in Vancouver Supreme Court, they were found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter in April.
During an undercover RCMP investigation, the two men confessed to kicking and punching Baptiste the night of Jan. 14, 2002 because, they said, they were annoyed with his repeated requests for free cocaine. Henderson testified he and Richer had been drinking heavily that day and had no intention of killing Baptiste.
Henderson, who has a black belt in Tai Kwon Do, said a man he met in prison hired him to run the Sechelt crack house more efficiently.
Eric Baptiste, Chico's younger brother, said he is glad the crime was solved, but the sentence left him with little respect for the justice system.
"It's pretty depressing and confusing," said Baptiste. "You get more than that for stealing a vehicle or growing pot, but if you kill somebody you can turn around and say I had too much to drink."
Baptiste said the family is still struggling to deal with Chico's death. "It's still so fresh. It's just like yesterday," he said. "I miss my brother so much."
Carlene Joe, who is Chico Baptiste's cousin and was raised as his foster sister, said she considers the sentence to be "nothing.""Their Maker will find them," said Joe. "The justice system was so unfair. They took a life, and they just get a slap on the hand for it."
Joe described Baptiste as a kind and loving man who went through detox several times, but never managed to quit his addiction. She now plans to hold a burning ceremony for Baptiste so his family and friends can finally say good-bye.
"We've been holding on to him through all this. It's hard," said Joe. "Hopefully he has a peaceful journey on his way."
