Family caught between anger and reconciliation as Dettah homicide case nears conclusion

Stanley Abel Jr. turned his face away from the judge's bench, shaking as he held back tears and looked at his family gathered in a Yellowknife courtroom.

It was the first time he'd had a chance to address his family since pleading guilty to beating his uncle Herman Abel to death during a night of drinking.

"I've thought about this for a long time," he said, slowly, taking his time with his words. "I'm very sorry to see you with sad faces. I regret everything. I wish none of this had happened.

• Yellowknife man admits to killing sleeping uncle in a drunken rage 
• Man charged with murder after Dettah assault 

"You are my family, and always will be, you cannot take that away. I love you."

Tuesday was an emotional day in court for the Abel and Catholique families, their lives shattered by this homicide within the family.

Herman Abel's sister, Verna Catholique, spoke in court on behalf of herself, one of Herman's other sisters and Herman's daughter, showing the court a picture of Herman's hands his daughter had drawn.

"All of us have been hurting a lot since Herman's been gone," Catholique said. "Crying in pain no one should feel. Anger at the way he was taken. Anger at our nephew Stanley who caused this pain."

"We still love Stanley and don't want to lose him," she said. "But he has to better himself and turn his life around."

Conflicting emotions for family

Other members of the family expressed conflicting emotions as well. Stanley's uncle Floyd Abel saw Stanley in court Tuesday for the first time in more than a year. Though he feels for his brother Herman, he's also doing his best to support Stanley's mother — who is Herman's sister.

"We're supporting him, we can't abandon him, despite what he did," Floyd Abel said. "He has to live with the consequences of his actions though."

Justice Louise Charbonneau is expected to hand down her decision on the length of Stanley Abel's prison term in his manslaughter conviction on Friday. The Crown is asking for six years, while defence is asking for four.

Abel Jr. 'acutely aware' of impact

"Mr. Abel is acutely aware of the impact this has had on his family," defence lawyer Charles Davison told the court. "He knows he's going to have years of work to heal and try to deal with what has happened."

By all accounts Stanley and Herman Abel were like brothers. Whenever Herman came to visit Stanley's mom, he'd always ask about his nephew and not leave until the two spent time together.

• Sentence expected Friday for Yellowknife man who killed his uncle

Though Stanley Abel began drinking at 13 and had some difficulties with his anger, his defence and the Crown attorney noted Abel did not have a criminal history of violence before beating his uncle Herman in March 2016. Before this case, Abel had only been before the courts in a mischief case and for failing to comply with a court order, Davison said. 

Stanley says he doesn't remember anything from that night, but accepts what others tell him about it. According to witnesses, Stanley Abel stomped, kicked and punched his sleeping uncle over the mistaken belief that he'd stolen a bottle of vodka.

Herman Abel was pronounced dead 10 hours later.

After Charbonneau adjourned the court Tuesday, the Abel family huddled around Stanley Abel. They spoke quietly for a few minutes, holding back tears. The moment ended with Herman's brothers and sisters embracing.

And, as Stanley Abel was about to head back into police custody, his aunt Verna Catholique reached out to touch his hand.