Man in British Columbia who killed someone with one punch in Starbucks sentenced for manslaughter

Credit: Vancouver Sun and Starbucks

Lawrence Alvin Sharpe entered a crowded Burnaby, British Columbia Starbucks with his girlfriend, Oldouz Pournouruz, by his side who pointed to a man in a red t-shirt.

Without hesitation, Sharpe moved towards the man and threw a left-handed sucker punch to his face.

The victim, 22 year old Michael Page-Vincelli, fell backwards and hit the ground as Sharpe and Pournouruz turned and exited the Starbucks.

Page-Vincelli died later that day in the hospital of injuries sustained to his head.

Sharpe and Pournouruz’s B.C. sentencing

A 12-member jury in a British Columbia court began their deliberations last Friday morning and on Saturday Lawrence Alvin Sharpe, 41, was found guilty of manslaughter in connection to the July 2017 death of Michael Page-Vincelli.

Sharpe’s girlfriend, Oldouz Pournouruz, 36, was acquitted of provoking or playing any role in the attack.

The victim’s mother, Steffany Page, was not happy with the court’s overall decision, emotionally stating, “At the end of the day, my son is gone.”

How did this manslaughter unfold?

Analysis from the court hearing shows that Sharpe and Pournouruz went to the Kensington shopping mall that day to run some errands.

At one point during the day, Sharpe entered a bank while Pournouruz walked outside for a cigarette break.

This is where Pournouruz first encountered Page-Vincelli.

Witnesses says that a shouting match between the two interrupted the calm day with swears and loud voices exchanged.

Some sources say that Pournouruz threw a cigarette butt out of her car window which kick-started the incident while others fail to mention this detail.

During her testimony, Pournouruz claims that Page-Vincelli referred to her as a ‘dirty immigrant’ and that she should ‘return to her own country’ before flicking his own lit cigarette in her direction.

The Vancouver Sun reports that Pamela Smith-Gander, Oldouz Pournouruz’s lawyer, says that Pournouruz told Page-Vincelli that she would get her boyfriend to beat him up after the heated exchange.

After the shouting match, Page-Vincelli left the scene and entered a nearby Starbucks while Pournouruz returned inside and informed Sharpe of what occurred outside.

Sharpe plead not guilty to charges of manslaughter and testified that he spoke with Pournouruz about the situation for only a short period of time and that he was acting out of self-defense.

What followed next was captured by a Starbucks surveillance camera when Sharpe entered the crowded Starbucks, quickly punched Page-Vincelli in the face, and promptly left with Pournouruz.

What do you think about the sentencing in this case and the situation as a whole?