Hannah Leflar's killer cites 'speculation' in murder sentence appeal

The man who murdered Hannah Leflar is appealing his adult sentence, arguing the judge made several errors in her judgment, including elevating the "moral blameworthiness" of the man and engaging in speculation regarding his mental health.

Skylar Procker, 19, stabbed 16-year-old Leflar to death in her own home on Jan.12, 2015 while he was 16-years old himself. He filed an appeal last week.

Though he initially could not be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, Prockner was given an adult sentence on July 4to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 10 years.

The elevated "blameworthiness"referred to the "numerous offers of professional help" made to Prockner, his maturity level, andthe Intensive Rehabilitative Custody Program which Procker was ruled ineligible for.

Prockneralso argued the burden of proof was shifted to Prockner'sdefence rather than the prosecution, and "took the offence of First Degree Murder beyond the scope of" the YCJA.

Prockner also appealed on the grounds that Justice Jennifer Pritchardof Her Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewanspeculated on the role of Prockner's depression in the murder.Pritchard scoffed at Prockner's explanation that his depression drove him to murder, calling it "nonsensical and disingenuous."

"Depression drains a person. It does not rev them up to commit this type of cruel, persistent, bloody and hands-on first- degree murder," Pritchard said.

"I can't apologize enough for what I've done," Procknersaid at a May sentencing hearing. "Everyone makes mistakes. It's what we do to right those wrongs that make us better."

Janet Leflar, mother of Hannah, said she did not believe Prockner.

During the proceedings leading up to Prockner's sentencing, the court heard how he stalked Leflar and became obsessive after she broke off a relationship with him.

When Leflarbegan a new relationship, Procknerbegan collaborating with other people to potentially harm or kill Leflar's boyfriend in Oct. 2014 which was dubbed Project Zombify. It was called off when Leflar and the boy broke up.

Elevated sentence rare, says lawyer

Lawyer Noah Evanchuk, who is not connected to the Leflar case, said anelevated sentence such as the one given toProckner is rare in Regina and southern Saskatchewan, with one being handed out every four or five years.

Adults and youths do not have the same level of culpability, which is why they are dealt with in separate and distinct processes, Evanchuk said, referring to the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

"We don't like to treat young people like they are adults when we sentence them."

Evanchuk said he thinks the appeal will help set some guidelines for how these cases are handled in the future.