Teen jailed for killing man who answered online ad

Teen jailed for killing man who answered online ad
A Saint John teenager has been sentenced to two years behind bars for manslaughter in the stabbing death of a man who responded last March to his online classified ad in which the teen offered to do odd jobs.
The 17-year-old previously pleaded guilty in the death of Jason Dow, 29, who was found unresponsive outside a home on Barker Street, in the city's north end, shortly after midnight on March 11.
The youth, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was originally charged with second-degree murder, but the Crown withdrew that charge on Nov. 4 and charged him with manslaughter.
The Court of Queen's Bench heard Friday that the teen had put an online classified ad on Kijiji, offering to do odd jobs.
Dow hired the teen to model for photographs at his apartment, said Crown prosecutor Lucie Mathurin. He paid the youth $300 up front, and gave him a cheque for $850, plus a 12-pack of beer, she said.
The teen consumed about nine beers and posed in various stages of undress. The photos suggested a certain intimacy had taken place, said Mathurin, noting that some of the numerous images on Dow's camera of other teens masturbating and having intercourse would have been in violation of the Criminal Code. Then, around midnight, the teen got angry, she said. He texted a friend, saying he was going to kill Dow, grabbed a kitchen knife and chased him down the street.
The teen stabbed Dow five times, hit him in the head and left him for dead in a pool of blood, said Mathurin.
He went back into Dow's apartment, took Dow's car keys and fled to the nearby community of Hampton, where he met two friends who persuaded him to turn himself into police
The teen, who has an alcohol problem and learning disabilities, also addressed the court.
"I'm so sorry," he told Dow's family. "It's not who I am.
"I wish I could take all your pain away," he said. "I'll never be the same."

I know this young man who took another person’s life. My heart hurts for him and his family. Here’s my thoughts.... If you hire someone for modeling and then get them drunk and take advantage of them is that not rape? If it was a male doing the same to a female would we not hesitate to say it was rape and she lost her mind and grabbed a knife and attacked him. The fact that there was numerous images on Dow’s camera that were in violation of the criminal code doesn’t that make him a predator straight or gay. Does it make it right that he lost his life NO not at all! That being said what would you do if someone was sexually attacking you.... I just think if it was an older guy with such photos of him and multiple teen girls there would be outrage. And if they had learning disabilities as did the youth in question again outrage. We tend to have a double standard thinking guys should know better. However if you're hired to model then that is all that should be happening! Also I would like to reiterate that I don't think killing someone is the solution to a bad situation! My heart goes out to Dow's family as well...a sad situation for sure!