Another Killer Set Free

Darnell Pratt will be released from prison in June after serving less than five years of a nine year sentence for killing Grant De Patie. Mr. Pratt was caught stealing gas in a stolen Chrysler LeBaron and Grant, an employee at the Esso station, attempted to stop his car from leaving the lot. Grant was run down by Pratt and dragged to his death beneath the stolen vehicle.

According to a friend of Pratt’s to whom he confided after the murder, he was fully aware there was a body under the car as he sped away and heard Grant’s screams as he was being dragged to his death. De Patie’s body, naked except for tattered clothes around his ankles, was found 7.5 kilometres from the Esso station at the end of a trail of blood. His flesh had been ground away to the bone on his face, ribs, right leg and chest, his liver was torn, and his pelvis broken. Darnell Pratt killed Grant De Patie for $12.30 worth of gas. Needless to say, Darnell Pratt is a scumbag.

According to The Province newspaper:

After hitting De Patie and driving around Maple Ridge, Pratt went to a friend’s and told people he’d killed someone. Then he and others drove in a stolen truck to Hope and back. “Well aware of the devastation his criminal conduct had wrought, Mr. Pratt continued to socialize with his friends,” Bernard said. [Judge Lance Bernard]

Social workers took Pratt from his mom when he was 12 because she was a crystal- meth addict and neglectful, court heard. He was placed with an aunt. In January 2005, Pratt ran away because his aunt grounded him for getting drunk. He went to live with his grandmother, continuing to drink regularly and commit thefts with friends.

It’s unfortunate that Mr. Pratt had such a dismal upbringing but so did a lot of people and it’s no excuse for his despicable and disgusting behaviour. So, should this piece of garbage be released? I don’t think so and I’m guessing there’s lots of people that agree with me. Do we think that anyone that is capable of doing this to another human being can be ‘fixed’? This is deep rooted abhorrent behavior and the chances of this asshole committing another crime, from robbery to another grisly murder, are probably quite good.

Society needs to protect itself from these bottom feeders and this guy is an excellent candidate for life in jail which would ensure he doesn’t have the opportunity to wreak his personal brand of terror and misery again. I don’t care about his past, his social circles, his dismal family life, his need for a nurturing environment and all the other touchy-feely crap defence lawyers spew when they defend these societal demons. I do, however, care that he killed an innocent guy that was just doing the right thing and trying to stop one more scumbag from stealing from the rest of us.

Doug De Patie, Grant’s father, is disheartened with Pratt’s release but said “The best thing that we can do is move on and let him give our society the best effort he can and see where it goes.” I don’t think it will go very far and unfortunately Pratt will once again be in the news along with his next victims. And for that we award Darnell Pratt with the April Road AOTW Award.

  2Comments

  1. Realist   •  

    The fair way to handle this was missed by the judge. Just chain the guy underneath a car driven by Grant’s parents and let them drive for 7.5 K. If he lives, he gets to go free . . .

  2. Hill Larius   •  

    An eye for an eye and soon the whole world is blind.

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