‘I am empty, hollow’: Families voice anguish as sentencing hearing begins for Ontario man who aided suicides

An emotionally exhausting day for family and friends

The first day of the sentencing hearing for Kenneth Law was certainly emotionally exhausting for the family and friends who gave their victim impact statements at the courthouse in Newmarket, Ont., on Wednesday.

The statements were either read out in court by loved ones themselves or by the Crown, while others had been recorded by video.

Most of the statements today related to victims in Ontario, but there were some pertaining to victims from the United Kingdom. They ranged in age, with the youngest being a 14-year-old boy from the U.K.

Many family members broke down as they read their statements, which offered similar accounts of how Law’s actions had forever altered their lives.

Some in the courtroom broke into tears hearing the statements from other families.

While many family and friends gave details about the lives of the loved ones, many also pointedly held Law responsible for their deaths.

Law, sitting in the prisoner’s box, stared blankly ahead and showed no response or emotion as each statement was read.

Court will resume tomorrow morning with more victim impact statements. The Crown has indicated 74 victim impact statements will be read over the course of the sentencing hearing.