Brett Wiese family speaks after Mitchell Harkes found guilty of murder

Through two trials, Brett Wiese's family filled one side of the courtroom.Asmall army of people supportedone another, at times literally leaning on each other through the devastating details.

• Jazlyn Radke sentenced to life for murder of Brett Wiese
• Mitchell Harkes found guilty of murder in Calgary house party stabbing

Prosecutors Carla MacPhail and James Thomas wereon the same side of the room,like the leaders of a battle where there would be no winner.

"We are forever grateful for their dedication, their commitment and their brilliant minds," saysBrett's mother, Brenda of the prosecution team.

And, whether hovering in the hallway or sitting quietly in the back of the gallery, there was another important member of the team. Homicide detective John Orr led the investigation into Wiese's death.

"John has cried with us, laughed with us and supported us this whole time and he is like family to us," said Brenda.

Brenda andJodyWiese'swords come from a statement thy read in the lobby of the courthouse, minutes after a second person was found guilty of murdering their son.

Colton Lewis, who survived five stab wounds in the same attack that killedWiese,stands with the couple.

Moving on

Brett Wiese was a 20-year-old business student at the University of Calgary. In January, 2013 he and his friends hosted a party. At one point they kicked out a group of underage girls, including Jazlyn Radke and her twin sister.

Hours later, an angry Radke came back with knives and a crew of people including Mitchell Harkes. Then they attacked.

Last year, Radke, who was tried as a young offender, was found guilty of second-degree murder. On Saturdaynight, a jury came back with its verdict on Harkes. He was also found guilty of second-degree murder.

Radke and Harkes will both serve life sentences; that's automatic with a second-degree murder conviction.

Radke, because of her age, will be eligible for parole after seven years,Harkes after 10 to25 years, which will be decided after a sentencing hearing set for Tuesday.

For nearly three years, Wiese's family's focus was on court. On getting justice for their son. Now, they say, it's time to move on.

"Our job now is to leave this courtroom behind," reads Brenda. "To do the work that it takes to remove the space within our souls that Jazlyn and Mitchell have occupied for far too long. It's time to fill this space with love, gentleness and goodness."

Wiese family's full statement:

First of all I'd like to express our profound gratitude to Crown prosecutor, Carla MacPhail, her assistant James Thomas and the rest of their team. They have worked extremely hard over the last two and a half years and we are forever grateful for their dedication, their commitment and their brilliant minds.

We also want to thank Det. John Orr from CPS and all of his team in helping keep the streets of this city safe and for the hard work that they've done on this case. We will be forever grateful for them. John has cried with us, laughed with us and supported us this whole time and he is like family to us.

On Jan. 12, 2013, Jazlyn Radke orchestrated a violent and evil act of vengeance, assisted and supported by her twin sister and several friends including Mitchell Harkes. Their rage and evil spirits are directly responsible for the debilitating attack on Colton Lewis and the death of our son, Brett Wiese.

There are no words to describe the pain, despair and anguish that we, Brett's family, and all his friends have suffered since this violent and senseless act. For the past two and a half years we have stumbled and wandered aimlessly within our deep grief, striving to find new meaning and purpose in our lives.

Our grief is manageable but it's the horror and ugly harshness of homicide that has been debilitating for us. We have spent over 50 days in this courtroom looking directly at the two people responsible for the murder of our son. However, we were not there to see them, we were there to represent our boy. We felt it was important for us and for the court to know who this young man was; that he mattered, that he has a family who loves him very deeply and we miss him immensely.

Brett lived his life as a kind and loving and very gentle man and it crushes us to know that he lost his life at the hands of evil and violent hands; such a contrast to who Brett was. The verdict today, as well as Radke's verdict and sentence really has little or no meaning or bearing on us and our future. We are clearly the ones that have been given the life sentence. And there is absolutely nothing that anyone can give us that will make our pain less.

The truth is, our son is dead because of another human's choices and now the path is ours to live. We can only hope that somewhere on their path that Jazlyn Radke, Mitchell Harkes and some of their associates find it within their hearts to make a turn for the better and start giving back to society and make this world a better place instead of inflicting pain and suffering on mankind.

Our job now is to leave this courtroom behind. To do the work that it takes to remove the space within our souls that Jazlyn and Mitchell have occupied for far too long. It's time to fill this space with love, gentleness and goodness. With Brett, instead of ugliness.