Richard Bain not eligible for parole for 20 years for 2012 Quebec election-night murder
Shooter outside Parti Québécois rally faced minimum sentence of life in prison with no parole for 10 years
Richard Bain, 66, has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 20 years, for the second-degree murder of a stagehand and the attempted murders of several other people outside Montreal's Metropolis concert hall during the PQ's 2012 election victory rally.
Quebec Superior Court Justice Guy Cournoyer handed down the sentence in the Montreal courthouse this afternoon.
Blanchette, 48, died and fellow stagehand Dave Courage was seriously injured when a masked Bain opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle as then premier-designate Pauline Marois was delivering her victory speech to a crowd of supporters.
"I think the sentence is adequate," said Courage, a father of three who was 27 at the time of the shooting. "The judge has done his job. Everybody did their job. I am very happy."
His tailbone was shattered when the bullet that killed his friend and colleague Blanchette pierced his hip, leaving him in constant pain. He was also diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Television cameras captured Bain on video moments after the shooting. He was dressed in a bathrobe and ski mask as he was led away in handcuffs.
He infamously shouted, "The English are waking up!" before getting into a police cruiser.
Defence sought minimum sentence
Bain's 34-day trial ended Aug. 23 with a guilty verdict on all charges after 11 days of jury deliberations.
He faced a minimum sentence of life in prison, with no possibility of parole for at least 10 years.
Crown prosecutor Dennis Galiatsatos said he approved of the judgment.
"My reaction, I'm obviously satisfied with it," Galiatsatos said.
"I accept the judgment. More importantly, I hope the victims will be satisfied with it."
Bain's defence attorney, Alan Guttman, thought the sentence was too severe.
"I know if this had been a murder without the political aspect, it wouldn't have even come close to 20 years," Guttman said.
At his sentencing hearing in early September, Bain's lawyer had argued for the minimum sentence.
with files from Kate McKenna