Vaughan Oscar Roberts, a 21-year-old living in the Greater Toronto Area of Canada, originally faced a second-degree murder charge for killing 43-year-old Jason Wagar, but the charge was formally withdrawn before his sentencing on Tuesday, March 7.
Roberts pleaded guilty to illegally possessing the handgun used to shoot Wagar, who reportedly set up a “racially motivated” robbery at a Kingston apartment on August 12, 2021. Judge Alison Weaver of the Ontario Court of Justice handed the 21-year-old a conditional sentence, citing the role of systemic anti-Black racism.
“Black Canadians face discrimination in every important sphere of life, including the justice system,” Wheeler said, adding that the attack inflicted a “significant moral harm” on Roberts. She explained that such harm was “compounded by the laying of the murder charge when in fact Mr. Roberts was the victim in those events.”Black GTA man will not go to jail in self-defence killing of ‘racist’ attacker Vaughan Oscar Roberts was handed a conditional sentence by Judge Alison Wheeler, who cited systemic anti-Black racism in her decision.https://t.co/1fUUP19tmf via @torontostar
Roberts was visiting his friends to “engage in the illicit sale of controlled substances” at the apartment, according to a statement of facts agreed to by Assistant Crown Attorney Greg Skerkowski and Selwyn Pieters, Roberts’ attorney. He reportedly brought the gun for protection but didn’t intend to use it.
Pieters referenced messages showing Wagar using racist remarks and slurs, including the N-word, to refer to Roberts and other Black people in the area before the robbery. Wagar was also upset because he “didn’t want n*****s selling dope in his house,” his friend reportedly told police.
A report by Barrington Walker, a Wilfred Laurier University professor…
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