Harkes apologizes to victims before receiving life sentence for 'vigilante justice'

Before being sentenced to life with no chance of parole for 12 years, Mitchell Harkes sobbed in the prisoner’s box as he apologized to the Wiese family for murdering son Brett and to the Lewis family for attempting to kill son Colton.

“I would never intentionally kill anybody or try to intentionally kill anybody,” Harkes, 22, at times almost inaudible because of his crying and shaking, told the packed courtroom of the victims’ family and friends. “All I want to say to the Wiese family is I’m sorry for your loss. I mean it from the bottom of my heart, not because of the verdict, but because it’s right.

“I’ve seen what my family is going through and it’s nothing compared to what you’re going through. I try to put myself in your shoes … I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. To Colton Lewis, I’m sorry. I wish you the best in your continuing recovery.”

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Rosemary Nation called the actions of Harkes and Jazlyn Radke — the latter who after earlier being evicted returned to the northwest Calgary home where Wiese and Lewis were part of a back-to-school party on Brisebois Drive — “vigilante justice,” which is to be deterred in the strongest way.

“This was a group attack on a private dwelling house in the middle of the night and a knife was used,” she said. “The motive for this entry was some form of vigilante justice. Mr. Harkes and Ms. Radke led a group of friends into the home to avenge some of them being evicted earlier.”

Aside from the life term for second-degree murder of Wiese, Nation gave Harkes 12 years for attempted murder of Lewis, nine years each for assault causing bodily harm to Matthew Zegers and break and enter to commit assault on Phillip Bamber.

Radke, then a youth, was previously convicted as an adult of second-degree murder and sentenced to life with no parole for seven years for inflicting the fatal seventh blow to Wiese.

Brenda Wiese, the victim’s mother, said outside court she was pleased the legal proceedings were over and wished Harkes well.

“He’s got from now on to make changes in his life,” she said, with daughter Morgan at her side.

As for the apology, she said, “He’s got to prove that and show it’s genuine. We want him to contribute to society, make people’s lives better, rather than uglier.”

Crown prosecutors Carla MacPhail and James Thomas had sought a life sentence without parole for 15 to 18 years. Defence lawyer Balfour Der argued for the minimum parole ineligibility of 10 years.

Earlier, Morgan Wiese, the younger sister of the slain University of Calgary business student, led a parade of family members and friends who delivered gut-wrenching victim impact statements.

All morning, one by one, they talked about what a loving, caring person Brett Wiese was and how horrible it has been to live without him because of events on that fateful day when Harkes stabbed him and Lewis six times each.

Lewis miraculously survived but the injuries and post-traumatic stress will continue to haunt him.

University of Calgary student Brett Wiese, stabbed to death at a Brentwood home on Jan. 12, 2013. 

University of Calgary student Brett Wiese, stabbed to death at a Brentwood home on Jan. 12, 2013. PHOTO COURTESY WIESE FAMILY / CALGARY HERALD

“He was my one and only sibling, my big brother, my best friend, confidant and protector of me,” Morgan Wiese told the packed courtroom. “There aren’t words powerful enough to say what he meant to me or how his death has broken my heart.

“Brett was supposed to be in my life for the long run, until we were grey and old. Now I am an only child.”

The now 20-year-old sister showed two pictures of herself and her brother together — the first taken when they were young and the other days before he was killed.

Brenda Wiese said in her statement only parents who have lost a child to such a senseless act can truly understand their grief.

“Brett hated any sort of conflict and he would never want to do anything that led to a reprimand against him,” she said. “He despised getting into trouble. He did not have a mean bone in his body. He was his sister’s protector and he took great pride in his protection of Morgan.

“He always loved having his picture taken with Morgan. People have commented about their love for each other, because they had so many pictures together.”

Harkes, 22, was convicted on Saturday by a jury of all charges related to the attack at the party on Brisebois Drive in Calgary’s northwest.

Jody Wiese, Brett’s father, said his son was such a family man he would lie about having to miss something just so he could attend a family event. Now, family gatherings will forever be one person short.

Colton Lewis, survivor of a stabbing in Brentwood, during an attack that also killed Brett Wiese.

Colton Lewis, survivor of a stabbing in Brentwood, during an attack that also killed Brett Wiese. JENN PIERCE / CALGARY HERALD

“My son was taken from me on Jan. 12, 2013, and my life as I knew was taken as well, and sometimes I believe life isn’t worth living,” he said in his statement. “But, I have to do it for my wife, my daughter and my son’s memory.”

Ilana Lewis, Colton’s mother, said it was a nightmare not knowing if their son was going to survive the attack. She is devastated that her son nearly died and he also lost a very good friend.

“I thought we lost him, or were about to lose him,” she said. “When I saw him in ICU (intensive-care unit) he had tubes coming out of everywhere. He had a huge gash across his face, two collapsed lungs and punctured aorta. Police were waiting outside his room to see if it was a double homicide.

“Brett’s life was cut short by a heinous act of violence. At his funeral, I had a brief glimpse of what could have been our own life — losing a child.”

Two of Brett’s close childhood friends — Wyatt Norn and Karlee Sieweke — also shared their incredibly devastating losses.

In fact, Sieweke, who had started dating Brett just a week before he died, said she has had difficulty coming to grips with the idea of never sharing the long life they could have had together.

“I lost a guy that I loved more than anything else,” she told court. “He was a guy that was slowly stealing my heart.”