Adam Drake has been sentenced to a minimum of 17 years in prison before being eligible for parole for the murder of Dartmouth battle rapper Pat Stay. The fatal stabbing of Stay by Drake took place in a downtown Halifax bar in September 2022, leading to Drake’s conviction of second-degree murder by a jury in June.
Justice Scott Norton of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court established Drake’s parole ineligibility during a court session held on Friday. The Crown had requested a minimum of 20 to 23 years, while Drake’s lawyer, Michael Lacy, suggested a shorter term of 13 to 15 years. Both Lacy and Drake attended the court session virtually through video monitors.
In advocating for a stricter sentence, Crown prosecutor Carla Ball highlighted Drake’s violent history, labeling him as a dangerous individual who poses a significant threat to society based on his criminal record. On the other hand, Lacy argued that Drake’s Indigenous background and challenging upbringing should be taken into account for a more lenient parole term.
Judge Norton expressed concerns about Drake’s potential for rehabilitation and described Stay’s murder as “inexplicable, needless, senseless, and gratuitous.” Drake, a member of the Big Stone Cree Nation in Alberta, had moved with his family to Nova Scotia. A Gladue report focusing on Drake’s Indigenous heritage and upbringing was presented to the court for sentencing considerations.
The complexity of Drake’s sentencing arises from his prior conviction of first-degree murder in the 2016 shooting death of Tyler Keizer, which carries a separate life sentence with a minimum of 25 years before parole eligibility. Despite the 17-year term for the Stay case, Drake will still have approximately eight more years to serve for the Keizer murder, as both sentences must run concurrently.
The court session was attended by Stay’s family and friends, including his widow, Malyssa Burns, who refrained from speaking at the hearing due to the inability to address Drake directly in the courtroom. The jury in the Stay case was not informed about Drake’s previous murder conviction in the Keizer case.
Drake’s sentencing outcome was captured in a video report, showcasing Justice Norton’s decision to impose a minimum 17-year term on Drake for the murder of Pat Stay. Various other news articles on different topics were also highlighted in the content.