'The voice of the victim must also be heard': Judge hands down 10-year sentence in fatal hotel beating

In sentencing Clifton Spotted Eagle to 10 years in prison for beating a woman to death, a Calgary judge said he kept the "voice of the victim" in mind. 

Sylina Ann Curley, 43, suffered 70 blunt force injuries at the hands of Clifton Spotted Eagle four days before Christmas in 2018.

Curley's jaw was broken and she had bruises to her face and neck. She also had a broken rib as well as internal and external injuries.

She suffered defensive injuries from trying to defend herself from Spotted Eagle.

• Woman beaten to death by boyfriend for sitting on his hat

The two had known each other for about a month and had met at the Calgary Drop-In Centre. 

They had been staying at a northwest motel, the Red Carpet Inn, as a break from shelter life.

Police found 30 empty beer cans and three empty bottles of hard alcohol in the motel room. 

Spotted Eagle told first responders he and Curley had got into a fight before the fatal beating because she sat on his hat. He said he was "blackout drunk" and that his "brain was fried."

After Clifton Spotted Eagle delivered his blows, Curley asked for help getting from the floor to the bed but her attacker refused and fell asleep.

When he woke up in the morning, she was dead. Spotted Eagle called 911 around 7 a.m.

'The voice of the victim'

Spotted Eagle described their relationship to police as "drinking buddies" who were sometimes intimate.

Both the victim and offender are Indigenous. 

"Much, if not most, of the violence inflicted upon Aboriginal females leading to criminal charges is committed by Aboriginal males," said Stevenson.

In crafting his sentence, provincial court Judge Brian Stevenson said he aimed to give Curley a voice.

"It is also very important that the voice of the victim must also be heard and taken into account in arriving at a fit sentence," said Stevenson.

Curley was the first person in her family to graduate from high school. She went on to get accreditations as both a medical office assistant and dental business assistant. 

She worked in those fields until alcohol and drug addiction caused her to become homeless. 

High risk to reoffend

Spotted Eagle is from the Siksika First Nation but grew up in Calgary. He says he's struggled with addiction since he was 12 years old.

"He blames that addiction for most, if not all, of his criminal lifestyle," said the judge.

Spotted Eagle has an extensive criminal past with more than 100 convictions.

The psychiatrist who examined Spotted Eagle ahead of the sentencing hearing noted he is a high risk to reoffend.

Prosecutor Carla MacPhail had proposed an eight- to 12-year sentence on the manslaughter charge, while defence lawyer Rebecca Snukal argued for a four- to six-year prison term.