Family of man killed 5 years ago in Sydney ready for 'extremely hard' court process to end

The family of a man killed in Sydney, N.S., five years ago in what a prosecutor has called a "grisly and heinous act" is hoping the court cases of the two accused will be over soon.

Jessica Anne MacDonald and Joseph Evong pleaded guilty to manslaughter after Stephen Rose was stabbed 147 times and left for dead in MacDonald's apartment in November 2019.

In court this week, the prosecution called for a sentence of 10 to 12 years for MacDonald, while her defence lawyer said she has been in jail for five years already and asked for a sentence of time served.

More than 15 family and friends of the victim were in the courtroom and one left after a loud outcry over the defence's suggestion.

Outside the courtroom, Richard Rose said no matter the sentence, nothing will bring back his older brother Stephen.

"This has been a lengthy trial," he said. "It has been extremely hard on our family to the point where ... my father passed away a year ago and I believe it was from a broken heart over how long this has went."

More than 20 victim impact statements were read in court this week, including one written by Rose's father before he died.

Rose said he misses his brother and the family just wants it to end.

"He was my best friend. We grew up together. We've been through everything together. Even our kids. Our kids are 12 days apart, our two oldest," he said. "It's been hard."

In addition to the knife wounds Stephen Rose suffered, which court was told were inflicted by a weapon made of three knives with the handles taped together, the medical examiner's report noted he had multiple blunt force injuries, one finger had been amputated, and his body was found with a belt around the neck.

Crown attorney Rochelle Palmer said Rose's killing started out as an argument that became a knife fight resulting in an "immense act of utter brutality" that was prolonged.

"No doubt Mr. Rose's final moments were spent in abject terror," said Palmer.

Court was told MacDonald saw Rose on top of Evong, who passed her the three-bladed knife to help him.

Rose might have survived the fight with Evong if MacDonald had not intervened and "quite literally stabbed him in the back," Palmer said.

In addition, MacDonald did not call 911, the police or even a neighbour for help to stop the fight.

Instead, she and Evong left the apartment and stayed with Evong's friends, burning their clothes to get rid of evidence.

"Her actions and inactions were the factor that changed the tide for Mr. Rose," Palmer said.

Defence attorney Peter Mancini said MacDonald was a "secondary player" who only stabbed Rose when she found him on top of Evong.

He said she went along with Evong's instructions and actions after the killing only because Evong had threatened to kill her family if she didn't do what he said.

Mancini also said after she was arrested, she provided police with a statement that helped them investigate Rose's death.

"But for that statement, we would not know much of what occurred in that apartment," he said.

Justice Patrick Murray reserved his decision on MacDonald's sentence until Dec. 20 at 10 a.m.

Evong's case was set for a separate trial until his guilty plea.

He is set to be sentenced Dec. 11 and 12 by a different Supreme Court justice.