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The Alberta Court of Appeal has upheld the sentence a man who was convicted of killing a Glace Bay native nearly five years ago, but his family says justice still hasn’t been served.
Craig Kelloway's family says they’re relieved their son's killer is behind bars, but believe his killer should have been given a tougher sentence.
Craig’s mother, Monica Kelloway says she still struggles with the fact that his five-year-old son Blake will never see his father again.
“Right now I’m hurt, I’m angry,” says Monica. “I'm ready to blow at this justice system.”
Nicholas Rasberry has admitted to killing Craig Kelloway of Glace Bay, N.S., in May 2013 and claims it was self defence.
Rasberry's third straight appeal was just rejected by a panel of judges and he was sentenced to serve seven years for manslaughter after stabbing Craig Kelloway 37 times with three different knives.
The Calgary man claimed he did it because Craig had threatened to have sex with him, but the Kelloways says they believe Rasberry intended to kill.
“I have flashbacks of Craig trying to protect himself while he was being stabbed,” Monica says. “Craig was drunk… all you had to do was push him out the door.”
Kelloway's family is asking for a new trial, saying that the entire Alberta justice system needs to be investigated, beginning with their son's case. They are also requesting a meeting with Alberta’s Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley.
“If someone took her child's life and then went through a trail like we had which was a farce and a mockery, and put the blame on the victim… how would she feel if it was her child and had to go through that,” says Monica.
Rasberry will serve five years and four months due to time already served, but the Kelloways says they feel the justice system is favouring the criminal, not the victim.
“It tells you that the criminal, the murder, it's their right to have all these appeals, but it's putting the victim’s family through hell.”
Kelloway leaves behind a girlfriend, son and his parents.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kyle Moore.
