Cape Breton man pleads guilty to manslaughter

CTV Atlantic: Cape Breton man pleads guilty to manslaughter A 25-year-old Cape Breton man has plead guilty to manslaughter in the death of Laura Jessome. CTV’s Kyle Moore reports.

A man originally charged with second-degree murder in the death of Laura Jessome has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

25-year-old Morgan McNeil left the Sydney Courthouse today in custody after pleading guilty to manslaughter . The remains of Laura Jessome were found in a hockey bag on the Mira River in May of 2012.

“This morning Mr. McNeil pleaded not guilty to the murder of Laura Jessome, but did plead guilty to the included offense of manslaughter, admitting that was in fact his role in her death,” says defence lawyer Patrick MacEwen.

Jessome's mother and other family members left the court room in tears, after hearing some of the details of Laura's death.

“As read in court today the role that Mr. McNeil played in Laura's death was essentially that of preventing her from leaving the premises where she eventually died,” says Senior Crown Counsel Diane McGrath.

According to the agreed statement of fact, McNeil was living with another man, his co-accused, in a Glace Bay apartment. McNeil and the other man were doing drugs, and Jessome wanted to join in. When McNeil’s roommate refused, Jessome became angry and stormed out of the apartment.

The court then heard that McNeil was ordered to bring Jessome back. Once he did, McNeil says his roommate allegedly grabbed Jessome and “strangled her to death with a ligature.”

"Obviously this has been hanging over his head for a period of time now. He is happy to be moving things forward and getting this behind him. He's accepted that he played a minor role in the death of Miss Jessome, but he's not the individual that took her life and he's pleased with that,” says Patrick MacEwen.

McNeil's roommate is still facing a second degree murder charge and will be in court Monday to apply for the  province to pay for a lawyer to represent him.

McNeil has been remanded to a provincial facility in Dartmouth and will return to court for sentencing on November 18th.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kyle Moore