Raven Constant sentenced to life in prison for 2013 murder and 2017 beating death in Saskatoon jail

Raven Don Constanthas been sentenced to life in prison forhis role in the violent deaths of two men in Saskatoon.

In Court of Queen's Bench in Saskatoon on Friday, Constant was sentenced for second-degree murder in the 2013 death of Jonathan Moosewaypayo, and manslaughter in the death ofCornell Henry, who died after being beaten in his cell at theSaskatoon Correctional Centre in October of last year.

Constant was also charged with attempted murder for two alleged attacks that happened the the same night Moosewaypayo, 28, was killed. Those attacks occurred one block away from wherethe 28-year-olddied.

A week after Henry's beating at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre, and three days into his trial for Moosewaypayo'skilling, Constant pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault.

He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Henry's death on Friday morning and was sentenced for both killings.

"The beating [of Cornell Henry]took place one week prior to the commencement of his murdertrial and [trial for] the two attempted murders. So yes, it was very concerning," prosecutorMelodiKujawasaid outside court Friday.

Constant was on remand at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre in October2017, whenHenry was beatenin his cell. He died more than a week later.

Constant and another inmate were charged in hisdeath. Kujawa suggested information the men learned about Henry from a file they found may have been the motivation for the attack.

"From what the police could ascertain Mr. Henry's file was on the breakfast cart, that sensitive information was contained in that file. The offenders learned of that and that seemed to have been the motive for the beating," Kujawa said.

During his trial for Moosewaypayo's killing,Constant admittedhe stabbed the man 18 times and wounded two other men in a series of stabbings on 22nd Street W. and Avenue O S.on Jan. 1, 2013.

Moosewaypayo died half an hour into New Year's Day. Police were called to an apartment block at Avenue O S. and 22nd Street W. and arrived to find Moosewaypayo on the walkway, bleeding from multiple stab wounds.

In total, Constant was sentenced to life with no chance of parole for 20 years for killing Moosewaypayoand the two attempted murders. He was sentenced to 12 years for killing Henry.

The sentences will be served concurrently.

It was a joint sentencing submission by Kujawa and defence lawyer Kevin Hill.