A second of four suspects who broke into Pietro Poletti’s home in June 2020 and beat the former SPVM organized crime investigator pleaded guilty Friday at the Montreal courthouse.
Posted at 6:10 p.m.
Sandel Pierre, 20, who has been detained since his arrest on the day of the assault on June 12, 2020, pleaded guilty to counts of assault, assault with bodily harm, trespass and mischief.
The Pursuit, represented by Mr.e Philippe Vallières-Roland, asks for eight years of penitentiary while the Defense, ensured by Me Kristina Markovic is asking for a four-year sentence.
Submissions on sentencing have been postponed to October 20 before Judge Joëlle Roy of the Court of Quebec.
” Kill him ” !
On June 12, 2020, around 9:30 a.m. in the borough of LaSalle, three men showed up at the residence of Pietro Poletti, a retired investigator and organized crime specialist, while a fourth accomplice was waiting for them in his car.
When Mr. Poletti answered the door, in his dressing gown, the three suspects jumped on him and beat him, including with bricks and snow brooms. One of the men even shouted: “kill him, it’s him, kill him “, before the trio quickly leaves the scene.
Mr Poletti suffered a few injuries, lacerations and bruises and his 87-year-old mother was also molested in the scuffle.
Three of the suspects were apprehended by Longueuil police late in the afternoon on the same day as the home invasion and the fourth later.
Analyzes have shown that there were stains of Poletti’s blood on Pierre’s jeans, as well as the DNA of the latter and that of the ex-policeman, on the brick used during the attack.
Sandel Pierre’s fingerprints were also taken from a window in the front door of the residence.
Two other defendants in this case, Yadley Deutz-St-Jean and Mitchaino Bruno, will stand trial starting next Monday.
The fourth and last individual involved, Louis-Simon Jacques, who acted as a driver, has already been sentenced to 32 months in prison.
The judge is impatient
Sandel Pierre’s guilty plea was due at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning, but it was delayed twice during the day; the first time because the accused had not been brought to the courthouse, even though the judge had issued an order to that effect, and the second time because no correctional officer was available to bring Pierre in room 6e floor where the hearing was scheduled.
“It is an intolerable situation. It’s common and it hurts justice. This prevents us from being effective,” lamented Judge Roy.
“We are asked to come in on time, but we don’t have what it takes. We live it every day and we don’t know how to react. The coordination does not make the necessary efforts. It doesn’t make sense, ”added the magistrate.
Pierre finally made it to the courthouse in time for the early afternoon hearing, but the fact that no corrections officer was available to escort him up was the straw that broke him. the vase for the judge who asked to see the director of detention on the spot.
“All the rooms opened at the same time. We have seven waiting, when it is your turn, we will bring the inmate up, ”explained the director.
“Are you going to have to be cited for contempt of court?” Will we have to ask for a commission of inquiry? retorted the judge, unsatisfied with the response of the representative of the correctional officers.
“We have a meeting with the authorities next week. We have had a lot of departures with the pandemic and it often happens that we transport or have individuals appear for a few minutes, it takes up a lot of our time. I have no staff. I want more. That’s all I can tell you,” the director replied.
“I have been in the legal field for 30 years and I have never seen this,” concluded Judge Roy, who said she hoped this situation would not become commonplace or normal.
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