A father’s remarkable act of forgiveness

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This article was published 04/06/2011 (5247 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

WAYWAYSEECAPPO FIRST NATION — A sentencing circle became the scene of forgiveness Friday as a father embraced the man responsible for his son’s death.

Raymond Clearsky stood face to face with Ernest Leon Mentuck and told him of the pain he feels at the loss of his son, Raymond Joseph Clearsky, nearly two years after his death.

“Sometimes, I catch myself crying,” Clearsky said, breaking into tears as he stood in the centre of the circle. “I’m not mad at anybody, I never was.”

“It’s OK to cry,” he added as Mentuck sank his head and sobbed.

Clearsky then told Mentuck, “I forgive you,” embraced him and left the circle.

Clearsky made the gesture as Mentuck was sentenced for two separate morphine overdose deaths — the death of Clearsky Jr. and Brent Robert Malcolm.

Both Malcolm and Clearsky died from abusing morphine pain patches that were prescribed to Mentuck. High levels of morphine were found in their bloodstream.

Mentuck had been using the patches to manage leg pain he suffered after being run over by a truck in 2005.

Malcolm, 38, was found dead at his Waywayseecappo home on May 12, 2009.

Court heard that Malcolm knew Mentuck had the patches and repeatedly called him to ask to share the drug.

Mentuck ignored at least five of the phone calls but reluctantly supplied Malcolm with a patch when he showed up at his door.

Despite Mentuck’s advice that he only use half a patch, Malcolm took the patch home and placed the whole thing on his tongue, which accelerates its effect. In the middle of the night, Malcolm went into cardiac arrest and died.

Four months later, on Sept. 12, 2009, 34-year-old Clearsky was pronounced dead at a home at the reserve.

Clearsky was staying with Mentuck in Waywayseecappo when he asked to share a morphine patch. Mentuck advised against it, but Clearsky grabbed a whole patch and put it in his mouth after Mentuck left the patches on his dresser. Mentuck, who made a vain attempt to get the patch back, had also given Clearsky two unnamed prescription pills.

Clearsky was found unresponsive around noon the next day and, despite efforts to revive him using CPR, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mentuck and Clearsky were longtime friends.

“I’m very sorry for all the hurt I’ve caused,” Mentuck said in the sentencing circle as he apologized to the victims’ families, adding. “I miss my best friend with all of my heart.”

Sentencing circles are used in cases that involve aboriginal offenders and victims.

They give the family of the offenders and the community at large, a chance for input as the judge fashions an appropriate sentence.

Yesterday’s sentencing circle at Waywayseecappo was ordered in March after Mentuck pleaded guilty to manslaughter for Malcolm’s death and to criminal negligence causing death for Clearsky’s death.

Following the circle, Judge Shauna Hewitt-Michta gave Malcolm credit for pre-sentence custody and sentenced him to 28 months time served for the manslaughter.

He was given a further 18 months for the criminal negligence causing death charge and a further two months for breaching his bail, bringing a total remaining jail sentence of 20 months. That will be followed by two years probation.

— Brandon Sun