The man who pleaded guilty to manslaughter for his role in the 2020 hit-and-run death of the Calgary police sergeant. Andrew Harnett was sentenced to five years behind bars.
Amir Abdulrahman learned his fate in a courtroom in Calgary on Friday morning. With credit for time served, Abdulrahman has three years and five months left on his sentence.
Abdulrahman was originally charged with first-degree murder in Harnett’s death on December 31, 2020, but pleaded guilty in early December to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
The Crown sought eight to nine years behind bars for Abdulrahman, while the defense called for a two-year sentence followed by a two-year probation.
The judge who imposed the sentence said Abdulrahman was a minor participant in the flight of the vehicle in 2020 and said he could be rehabilitated.
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Man pleads guilty to manslaughter in hit-and-run death of Calgary police sergeant. Andrew Harnett
Police said Harnett tried to stop a sports utility vehicle after noticing his license plates did not match the registration. Harnett was hit by the vehicle and towed before falling and being hit by another vehicle.
A memorandum of understanding was read in court in December, which set out that Harnett turned on his turn signals at 10:19 p.m. and began the traffic stop in the Falconridge community.
Body-wrenched camera video of officers who were at the scene, including Harnett, was also played in court.
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Still photo of the Calgary police body-wired camera video of the traffic stop leading to sergeants. Andrew Harnett’s death.
Provided, Alberta courts
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Still photo of Calgary Police’s bodyguard camera video of traffic jam leading to sergeant. Andrew Harnett’s death.
Provided, Alberta courts
According to the agreed statement of facts, the accused’s vehicle’s headlights did not work. The vehicle turned into a nearby parking lot, where the driver identified himself, but said he did not have a driver’s license. The driver said the passenger, Abdulrahman, had a license that Harnett asked him to show.
A third man was seen in the back of the vehicle, but the Crown said at the time that he remained unknown, despite public pleas for help in the case.
Shortly after pulling over the vehicle, officers at the scene were referring to Abdulrahman’s outstanding warrants when the driver grabbed the gearshift.
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Harnett opened the vehicle’s door in an attempt to stop it from leaving the scene, but the force of the vehicle driving away slammed the door.
Harnett was able to hold on to the open window as the vehicle drove on.
Two other officers approached the vehicle with their rifles pulled. The vehicle then drove onto a curb and onto Falconridge Blvd.
In video played in court, the accused can be seen grabbing the steering wheel and turning it three times. Abdulrahman grabbed the wheel several times while the driver tried to push Harnett out of the vehicle by kicking the door and pushing it open.
The agreed statement of facts outlines that Harnett was dragged 427 meters from the site of the traffic stop.
The fleeing vehicle eventually crossed into oncoming traffic, where Harnett fell out of the vehicle. He was hit by an oncoming vehicle.
The accused’s vehicle was later found abandoned.
The alleged driver, who cannot be identified under the Juvenile Justice Act, is charged with first-degree murder. He is now 18 and is expected to be tried on Monday.
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Reference-globalnews.ca