Additional guilty pleas entered for fatal assault at Saskatchewan Penitentiary

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Rocky Meechance who had connections to Red Pheasant Cree Nation had a young son. (Image Credit: Facebook.)

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Additional guilty pleas entered for fatal assault at Saskatchewan Penitentiary

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As a result of the scheduled February 2027 jury trials being vacated, the facts of the case can now be published. 

Rocky Meechance was on the phone when he was alerted his brother was being assaulted. 

While rushing to his brother’s aid, he was intercepted by Dominick Cochrane and Tyrel Munroe, and assaulted. Meechance retreated and after being chased around a table in the shower room area of the maximum-security unit, was punched, kicked and stabbed by a total of six inmates. 

Rene Merasty punched Meechance multiple times in the head and George Custer stabbed him in the buttocks area. 

Tyrel Munroe, who received a 15-year sentence for manslaughter, stabbed Meechance twice in the upper back area and then tossed his weapon in the garbage. 

The entire incident lasted just over a minute and was recorded by the prison’s security cameras. While Meechance initially stood up from the floor, he quickly collapsed. Upon seeing Meechance was in distress, multiple inmates rushed to him and called for staff to come and help.

The autopsy later revealed one of the stab wounds to the back area penetrated his lung and resulted in significant blood loss. 

Crown Prosecutor Rob Parker explained that the night before the assault, a plan was devised to create a big fight, and the goal was to have the Meechance brothers moved off the unit. 

“It does not appear the ultimate plan was to cause his death,” he said. 

During Dominick Cochrane’s sentencing hearing, it was mentioned he was overheard saying they wanted to “bounce these guys off the range and clean house.”

Cochrane received a six-year sentence for manslaughter. 

Also charged were Wyatt Crookedneck and Jonathan Soosay, who both also entered guilty pleas to manslaughter.

Soosay received an eight-year sentence, which won’t actually start until after he completes a previous 11-year sentence he received in 2019 for manslaughter and robbery. 

Last August, Crookedneck received a six year sentence and multiple members of Meechance’s family were present for the near hour long hearing. Four emotional victim impact statements were read by the Prosecutor including one by Meechance’s mother who wrote she will miss her son’s laughter and phone calls and noted she has a grandson who will grow up without a father.

“My heart aches every day,” she said.

Meechance’s then 13-year-old niece stated that after his death she found it hard to go to school or attend sports, and her last memory of her uncle is seeing him lying in the casket.

Conrad Merasty, Ilyas Gilao and DJ Montgrand were accused of attempted murder and aggravated assault. All of their charges were stayed by the Crown. 

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com   

On X: @nigelmaxwell