Take a life, receive a life sentence; It does not matter how it is done. My heart goes out to the grieving family, especially Stephen, who now suffers for the rest of his life, having to live in pain.
Most trailer parks have rules that are signed and agreed to beforehand. Mr. Plaine should have known this as part of his purchase agreement. His first breach, an " altercation of municipal property," is a strong indication that rules do not apply to him!
Playing with fire that causes lifelong injuries to others calls for a jail sentence. However, the offender was coached to "do it" and shows genuine remorse. Let's see how the judge rules on it in the end.
It appears Yates' motive was more of revenge rather than self-defense—trust, thefts, affairs, and lies. After brutally using a hammer on his partner, he goes out to the garage to get high on drugs, leaving the victim to suffer alone, rather than calling for help.
Yates' testimony has inconsistencies too many to count, with holes in it much like Swiss cheese. The hammer was stored in the dishwasher, for starters. Hmmm.
There are just too many wounds to support self-defense. Yates could be found guilty of second-degree murder on that alone. The crown's other scientific evidence also points towards a second-degree murder conviction.