‘Why couldn’t you just walk away?’ Teen asks mother’s killer in court

Natasha Thompson had every right to break up with her boyfriend and expect him to pack up and leave her Lang Street townhouse.

Instead, in the midst of an argument, Mark Champagne unloaded his 9-mm handgun into the 36-year-old mother on her neighbour's doorstep, court heard. Then he ran, leaving Natasha's 16-year-old daughter Hana - who heard the argument and then gunshots from her bedroom - to find her mother's bullet riddled body. She was shot 10 times.

Why couldn't you just walk away?" Hana said through tears Thursday at Champagne's sentencing hearing. All you had to do was pack up and walk out the door."

Natasha was murdered Nov. 6, 2017, leaving Hana and her then nine-year-old sister without any living parents. Their father was killed in an earlier police shooting.

In October 2021, Champagne was found guilty of second-degree murder by a jury. The conviction means an automatic life sentence, all that has to be determined is how long until he has a chance at parole. The sentencing hearing was delayed for more than a year as the court waited for a detailed pre-sentence report sometimes called a Morris report.

Hana told the court Thursday that her mom was her best friend." The trauma of her mom's death made her have to grow up fast, left her scared to sleep because of nightmares, strained her relationships and continues to affect every aspect of her life.

Hana said she knows the shooting wasn't her fault, but she regrets not telling someone about what was going on in her home before the murder. After Champagne smashed things one night when she was home with him she wanted to tell a teacher, but was too afraid.

You took my better half," said Natasha's twin sister, Cora, reading from her victim impact statement.

Cora said she has struggled with mental health since childhood and it was because of her sister that she is still here. Now she is without her sister's love and support. What hurts the most is knowing that her sister - a beautiful soul" - doesn't get to see her girls grow up.

Hana was a central witness at the murder trial, testifying about the controlling and volatile relationship between her mother and Champagne, and what happened the day of the murder. She countered the story Champagne told the court about a drug dealer who he claimed - despite no supporting evidence - fired a shot inside the townhouse. Champagne claimed to have shot Natasha mistakenly.

On Thursday Superior Court Justice Toni Skarica commended Hana.

It is obvious the jury accepted your evidence," he said, adding that in large part her strength and honesty" led to the conviction.

The judge later said it was clear to him that Champagne deliberately killed Natasha and knew who he was shooting.

Skarica pointed several times to Champagne's intelligence," noting that he was more effective at trial, where he represented himself, than many defence attorneys. Yet it was also clear he was selective about what he told his interviewer in the pre-sentence report, has not demonstrated remorse and did not seek help for his anger.

He called Champagne very intelligent, very manipulative."

Champagne was previously convicted of attempted murder and aggravated assault when he was just 22 for an attack on another girlfriend and her five-year-old son. Court heard there were parallels between the two domestic violence cases.

Skarica noted he was disappointed that there was no discussion about the previous attempted murder and aggravated assault case in his detailed pre-sentence report. He wanted to know how Champagne felt about what happened.

Assistant Crown attorney Andrew Scott called the shooting a brutal execution" and coldblood, horrific" murder. He is asking for at least 20 years before chance of parole, noting multiple aggravating factors including domestic violence, the brazen public shooting, and that Hana heard it all and found her mother.

This is a rare" case where there is high moral culpability and a risk of future danger that warrants an unusually high parole ineligibility."

Defence lawyer Chris Rudnicki, who was retained after Champagne was convicted, argued 13 to 14 years before parole eligibility was more appropriate, pointing to Champagne's traumatic childhood and systemic anti-Black racism.

This is a clear case of somebody repeatedly failed by the system," he said.

Court heard Champagne grew up in a violent Toronto neighbourhood where he was exposed to trauma and neglect. When his mother could not afford to care for him, he was sent to live with his father, where he was abused by his stepmother including having his arm broken and being locked in the basement.

A father figure in his life died violently when he was a teen and he was funnelled" into the criminal justice system, including joining a gang, selling drugs and carrying a gun. He spent a significant amount of time in solitary confinement in jail, including a year during his previous penitentiary sentence for attempted murder and 9.5 months in pretrial custody.

The case returns Feb. 21 for sentencing.

Nicole O'Reilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@thespec.com