Judge decries ‘senseless acts’ during sentencing for killers in Berens River manslaughter

Two men have admitted their guilt in the beating death of a 45-year-old father in Berens River First Nation last winter.

Michael Oliver Franklin, 32, and Thomas Bryton Goosehead, 24, pleaded guilty to manslaughter Thursday in the Feb. 13, 2025 killing of Leslie Neil Mason.

“These types of senseless acts happen far too often in Berens River and every other small community in Manitoba, including here in Winnipeg,” Court of King’s Bench Justice Kenneth Champagne said.

The men had been charged with second-degree murder, but admitted to the lesser offence as part of a plea bargain struck between their defence lawyers and Crown prosecutor Thomas Boult, largely due to concerns with the strength of the case Boult developed after meeting with witnesses in Berens River.

Franklin, who played a greater role in the killing, was sentenced to seven years in prison, less time served. Goosehead was sentenced to four years, less time served.

The two sentences were jointly recommended by the Crown and defence as part of the plea deal.

Boult outlined the facts of the case after the guilty pleas.

Goosehead and Franklin were hanging out at a home on the First Nation with two others in the afternoon on Feb. 13 last year when Mason arrived to pick up the cellphone and backpack he had left there, Boult said. Family members who had dropped him off waited outside.

Mason had a family connection to the property and objected to the group of people using the home, including for the occasional parties they held there, said the prosecutor.

He went into a bedroom and found Franklin, and the two got into a physical altercation, said Boult.

“Goosehead entered the bedroom and entered the fight. Goosehead was initially trying to wrap Mason up in a bear hug and stop the fight, but the fight turned into a two-on-one assault against Mason,” said Boult.

One of the other people at the home at one point tried to pull Franklin and Goosehead away from Mason, but the assault continued from the bedroom into the hall of the home.

“Franklin and Goosehead gained the upper hand and took Mason to the floor. Michael Franklin then delivered three stomps to Mason’s head,” said Boult.

“Mason tried to move from the ground, but Goosehead held his legs down onto the ground. Mason then lost consciousness.”

The group of four then gathered their belongings, left the home and got into a truck. The driver dropped off one of the passengers and drove Franklin and Goosehead out of the community.

Shortly after the truck left, one of the family members who had been waiting for Mason went inside and found him bleeding from his head, but still breathing, said Boult.

Mason was given first aid and arrangements were made for him to be taken to the community’s nursing station, where he later died of blunt-force trauma. Local RCMP were dispatched just before 4 p.m. after learning of the victim’s injuries.

A short time later, an RCMP officer spotted the truck and unsuccessfully tried to get the driver to pull over.

Other Mounties from the Bloodvein First Nation detachment managed to stop the vehicle, and the driver and his passengers were arrested.

Boult also read a statement from the mother of Mason’s four youngest children, as well as statements from a daughter and son, expressing their sorrow and describing the impact of their father’s death.

“This loss can’t be overstated; he was a pillar in their lives, and his absence can’t be replaced by anything we do here today,” Boult told court.

Champagne offered his condolences to Mason’s loved ones as he sentenced Franklin and Goosehead.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca