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Man sentenced in death of long term partner

Nov 30, 2017 | 9:00 AM

A Mistawasis resident was sentenced to jail time this week in connection with the March 3 death of his long term partner, 28-year-old Cindy Joseph.

Danny Lee Ledoux was sentenced Nov. 27 in provincial court. Although he was initially charged with second-degree murder, Ledoux pleaded guilty to the lesser included offence of aggravated assault. He was sentenced to spend two years in jail, was ordered to provide a DNA sample, and will be prohibited from owning firearms for 10 years.

Kathy Hodgson-Smith, Ledoux’s defence lawyer, told paNOW Ledoux and Joseph were in a relationship together for 12 years at the time of her death, and the couple had two sons together.

According to Hodgson-Smith, the couple fought at their Mistawasis home while both were intoxicated. Ledoux passed out near midnight, she said, and awoke hours later to find Joseph unresponsive in the bathroom. Ledoux tried his best to revive her, Hodgson-Smith said, and it was Ledoux who called 9-1-1.

While Ledoux was charged with murder by the RCMP, Hodgson-Smith said the autopsy could not conclude that the injuries caused by Ledoux’s assault were the ultimate cause of Joseph’s death. As a result, she said, the Crown was willing to accept the plea to aggravated assault.

Ledoux expressed deep remorse for his actions, his lawyer said, and wept during his sentencing hearing.

“He always wanted to take responsibility for what he did,” Hodgson-Smith said. “He loved her.”

With credit for the time he has already spent in custody, Ledoux was left with roughly 320 days remaining on his sentence.

 

Taylor.macpherson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @TMacPhersonNews