Jamie Bacon pleads guilty in Surrey Six shootings

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The mother of one of the Surrey Six victims is heartbroken after reputed gang leader Jamie Bacon pleaded guilty to a lesser charge Thursday, bringing an end to a complex legal case that has spanned more than a decade.

Bacon pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to murder Corey Lal, one of six people found dead in October 2007 at a highrise apartment building in Surrey.

Bacon also pleaded guilty to one count of counselling to commit murder in a separate case involving the shooting of a man who survived the attack on Dec. 31, 2008.

Despite the plea, Eileen Mohan still feels a sense of justice eludes her son Christopher and the other five victims.

“It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “I’m just so broken because I want to believe in the laws of our country, that they will protect innocent families like ours, and when killers like these try to bargain with the lives of our loved ones, where do we go from there? It just feels like Christopher’s life didn’t mean anything.”

This essentially closes another chapter in a complex legal case spanning 10+ years. Jamie Bacon has pleaded guilty to 1 count each of conspiracy to commit murder & 1 count of counselling to commit murder. The plea is for 2 separate cases, including the #SurreySix deaths. (via CP)

— Ria Renouf (@riarenouf) July 9, 2020

Police have said four of the Surrey Six victims were targeted, but Chris Mohan, who lived on the floor where the killings occurred, and Ed Schellenberg, a maintenance worker, were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Sentencing for Bacon has been tentatively scheduled for July 23, when victim impact statements will be heard by the court.

A joint submission outlines an 18-year sentence for the conspiracy charge and a concurrent 10-year term for the counselling inditement, said Bacon’s lawyer, Kevin Westell.

“This has been a long deliberative process of coming to the right agreement with the Crown,” he said. “We’ve come to a resolution that’s principled and is appropriate from all sides.”

Westell said Bacon will be present for sentencing. He also said time Bacon served for gun offenses has almost been used up.

“So with respect to what’s left after that sentence is completed, he has been in for around six actual years. So he’s getting credit at two-for-one and will have time-served of around 12 years.”

If Bacon accepts the submission, according to Westfall, he’ll have about between five to six years left to serve.

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Eileen Mohan suggested Bacon had no choice other than a plea after losing an appeal.

“So this was his only way to get out of the system, with lesser charges, was to get a plea bargain deal with all the charge attached,” she said.

“To have his previous charges stayed was quite sad to see that go, because now we are in a plea bargain mode. That comes with uncertainties. But I am hoping for the best that the judge will take our victim impact statements into consideration.”

With patience, faith and love and believe, our Lord God picks a great time to answer your prayers. Today once again my heart is filled with hope for justice for my Beautiful Chris pic.twitter.com/Hd2euQCq8u

— Eileen Mohan (@eileen_mohan) May 22, 2020

A new trial was ordered for Bacon in May.

The B.C. Court of Appeal ordered a new trial after the Crown appealed a B.C. Supreme Court judge’s 2017 decision to stay the proceedings in the case. Much of the evidence and reasons for the decision to stay the charges were sealed by the court.

Bacon had initially been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit the murder of Lal.

In October 2014, Cody Haevischer and Matthew Johnston were convicted of six counts of first-degree murder in the Surrey Six case.