A 31-year-old man who spent more than half his life in a Montreal street gang is set to be released within days on a sentence he received after shooting a rival inside a West Island strip club.

 

On March 3, 2008, Luders Jeanty - by his own admission, a member of a Montreal street gang since he was 14 - walked into Cabaret Bazaz on Gouin Blvd. W., near Sunnybrooke Blvd., in Pierrefonds, and opened fire on a man who had argued with three of his friends earlier that night.

The trio, including a prolific drug dealer in the West Island, had been ordered out of the bar after the argument but returned a short while later with Jeanty.

Eight people were standing or seated less than two metres from the victim when Jeanty shot him; the man suffered superficial wounds despite being struck in the chest, neck and one ear.

Montreal police arrested Jeanty in July 2008. A search of his home turned up the revolver used to shoot the victim, a man with ties to a different gang.

Jeanty was charged with attempted murder; he pleaded guilty on Sept. 2, 2008, to conspiracy and using a firearm to cause bodily harm and was sentenced to a 43-month prison term.

Jeanty is now set to reach his statutory release date - the two-thirds mark of his sentence. Correctional Service Canada doesn't confirm release dates, but Jeanty was expected to be freed at the end of January or early in February. He qualifies for automatic release because he was not previously granted parole.

The Parole Board of Canada was able to impose conditions only on his release. Two members who reviewed his case determined Jeanty cannot be present in places like bars for the rest of the sentence. He is not allowed to associate with known criminals or people tied to street gangs.

According to a written summary of the board's decision, Jeanty admitted to being part of the Crack Down Posse from age 14 until his arrest at 29, and that his revenue came primarily from drug trafficking.

Members of his case-management team, who prepare an inmate for eventual release, recommended that, considering the violent nature of the crime, Jeanty be subject to a program that would allow a parole officer to make impromptu visits to his home or workplace.

The board rejected the recommendation after being informed Jeanty was not a problem for Correctional Service Canada while serving his time. He had resumed his studies in social sciences, and he did not associate with gang members while behind bars.

The board was told that Jeanty plans to resume his studies after his release.

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