Prosecutor says drugs had ‘major role’ in murder case with no clear motive
Crown prosecutor Maurice Blanchard says that although there was no clear motive put forward in the convictions of Sean Patrick Patterson and Henry Pottie for their roles in the murder of Jamie Leard, he believes drug use was the underlying reason for the murder.
On Friday, September 15, Henry Pottie was sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in the murder of Jamie Leard, minus some time to account for time served in remand and time served in solitary confinement. Friday’s hearing was the final one regarding the tragic killing of 38-year-old Leard, who many remembered as a well-loved, quiet, and kind-hearted man.
On May 2, 2023, Pottie pled guilty to manslaughter, admitting to a role in the confrontation that ended in Sean Patrick Patterson shooting Leard on May 25, 2021. He also admitted to helping dispose of Leard’s body, conceal the crime, and mislead police and family members who were looking for Leard.
Pottie has been held in remand since he was arrested on June 5, 2021. He was placed in segregation several times since then, as a result of the court’s no contact order between himself and Leard’s convicted murderer, Patterson. The court typically credits time served before conviction at a rate of 1.5 days for each day served, and Crown and defense lawyers agreed to an additional credit of 45 days to account for the time Pottie spent in segregation.… Continue