By Tim Petruk, Kamloops This Week
Family members of a Shuswap man who last week admitted to his deadly role in a 2011 turf war dabbed tears from their eyes in a packed Kamloops courtroom as Jordan Larry Barnes was ordered to spend a decade behind bars without parole eligibility.
The 30-year-old Blind Bay man pleaded guilty last week to one count of second-degree murder in connection with the June 1, 2011, shooting death of 24-year-old Nicholas Larsen.
After the sentencing, Larsen's friends and supporters could be seen hugging outside Courtroom 5C at the Kamloops Law Courts.
Barnes' guilty plea to murder brought with it an automatic life sentence, but it was up B.C. Supreme Court Justice Gregory Bowden to determine how long Barnes would spend behind bars before being eligible for parole.
Crown and defence lawyers pitched a 10-year joint submission to Bowden, which he accepted.
Details of the allegation cannot be published pending the jury trial of Barnes' co-accused, Jeremy Davis, whose three weeks in court are expected to begin early next year. Police have previously said the slaying was drug-related and "targeted."
Barnes and Davis were arrested in July 2014. Davis' trial is expected to begin on Feb. 6, 2017.
In addition to the prison term, Barnes was also banned from possessing weapons for life and ordered to submit a sample of his DNA to a national criminal database.