Denecho King, convicted of second-degree murder and aggravated assault in a 2014 sword attack, is appealing his conviction and life sentence, court records show.
In an application signed by King on Dec. 18 and received by the Court of Appeal of the Northwest Territories on Jan. 2, the convicted killer penned his plans to appeal both his conviction and sentence.
King, 26, received a life sentence in November with no chance of parole for 12 years.
He was handed a 10 year-sentence, to be served concurrently, for the aggravated assault conviction.
King was found guilty by Justice Andrew Mahar following a month-long trial that ended in July.
Mahar found King brutally killed John Wifladt SA国际影视传媒� while almost mortally wounding WifladtSA国际影视传媒檚 best friend Colin Digness at the same time SA国际影视传媒� after entering a Sunridge Place Apartments unit in Yellowknife in the early hours of Dec. 14, 2014.
Before receiving a life sentence for second-degree murder, King indicated in court he wanted to get sentencing SA国际影视传媒渙ver with,SA国际影视传媒� so he could move on with the appeal process.
King is currently serving his sentence at the Edmonton Institution, a maximum security federal prison located in Alberta.
The reasons for the appeal are hand-written by King himself.
SA国际影视传媒�Ineffective counsel; calling new evidence; Andrew MaharSA国际影视传媒檚 written decision (speculation); and circumstantial evidence.SA国际影视传媒�
During King's trial, Crown prosecutors focused on what they called an SA国际影视传媒渙verwhelmingSA国际影视传媒� amount of DNA evidence that tied King to two oriental-style swords used in on Wifladt and Digness. Prosecutors also relied on circumstantial evidence, mapping the movements of King has he bounced from party to party, apartment to apartment in the hours leading up the Sunridge Place Apartments attack.
A motive for the attack was never established, but the Crown argued a night of drinking led King to Sundridge Place Apartments, where he continued on his search for the next party.
SA国际影视传媒�However Denecho King found himself in Colin Digness' apartment, I do not believe he went to there intending to hurt anyone,SA国际影视传媒� reads Mahar's written decision.
SA国际影视传媒�If anything, based on his behaviour at other times on the 13th and 14th (of December 2014), he was simply looking for people to party with. Whatever happened, happened very quickly.SA国际影视传媒�
It's unclear what arguments King will make with respect to speculation and all other grounds for appeal at this time.
King will be responsible for filing paperwork before March 27 SA国际影视传媒� or the appeal could be tossed SA国际影视传媒� as well as contacting legal aid if he requires legal assistance or representation.
Mahar's decision to impose a parole ineligibility period of 12 years, five less than what the Crown called for, didn't sit well with some family members back in November.
SA国际影视传媒淚t isnSA国际影视传媒檛 quite the closure we wanted,SA国际影视传媒� John WifladtSA国际影视传媒檚 father, Jack Wifladt told reporters.
Family of John Wifladt declined to comment on King's decision to appeal his conviction and sentence.
King, who triggered a days-long manhunt after he escaped North Slave Correctional Complex (NSCC) in 2016, is currently serving his sentence at the Edmonton Institution, a maximum security federal prison located in Alberta.
