Sentencing opens for girl accused in killing of Ahmad Al Marrach

Blair Rhodes · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 14, 2025 3:59 PM EDT | Last Updated: 12 minutes ago

Sentencing has begun for 1 of 4 teenagers accused of sidesplitting Ahmad Al Marrach in Halifax past April. 

Al Marrach was stabbed during an altercation successful a parking store astatine the Halifax Shopping Centre and died aboriginal successful hospital.

A miss who was 14 astatine the clip of the onslaught was charged with second-degree execution but subsequently pleaded blameworthy to manslaughter.

She and a co-accused who besides pleaded blameworthy to manslaughter person already started the sentencing process.

At a one-day proceeding successful January, members of Al Marrach's household described what his nonaccomplishment has meant to them.

Friday's proceeding successful Nova Scotia Youth Court was to statesman the existent sentencing process for the girl, with grounds from psychologists and others who person prepared a attraction program for her.

Because the program includes details of her intelligence health, a work prohibition limits what tin beryllium reported.

The miss sat beside her lawyer. At times, she chewed her nails and looked backmost often successful the assemblage wherever her parent was seated. She besides took notes and often discussed the lawsuit with her lawyer, Brandon Rolle.

The archetypal witnesser to attest was Ainslie McDougall, a scientist astatine the IWK Health Centre. She prepared an appraisal of the attraction the miss volition need.

McDougall estimated astir 200 hours of intensive rehabilitation would be needed. But she admitted probe successful this tract is constricted due to the fact that astir of it was conducted connected big antheral offenders.

Judge Mark Heerema indispensable trade the last attraction program and sentence. The lawsuit returns to tribunal aboriginal this period for different afloat day.

2 others charged with 2nd-degree murder

A 3rd teen charged successful the lawsuit is part mode done a trial on a complaint of second-degree murder. 

A 4th teen pleaded blameworthy past period to second-degree execution and is scheduled to beryllium sentenced successful June.

The identities of each four are protected by a work ban.