Verdict in fatal Christmas party shooting Verdict, shooting, party, Christmas, fatal

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Verdict in fatal Christmas party shooting
The accused is found guilty of second-degree murder
News1130 Staff Dec 19, 2010 13:52:49 PM
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•Jury deliberates in Eric Kirkpatrick's case
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - He's been found guilty of second-degree murder.  That's the verdict in the case of a man accused of killing his former boss at an office Christmas party two years ago.

Eric Kirkpatrick conviction carries an automatic life sentence, but his parole eligibility has yet to be determined.  The minimum eligibility is 10 years, while the maximum is 25 years.  Kirkpatrick's lawyer says there's no doubt his client shot Ben Banky, but he was mentally ill at the time.

Banky's widow Linda Rae is disappointed her husband's killer wasn't convicted of the original charge of first-degree murder.  "The main message here I don't think is about the murder. It's the loss of a really great man and a great person."


The 40-year-old Banky was fatally shot during the party on December 12, 2008 at TallGrass Distribution, a natural food health supplier.  Kirkpatrick had been fired from his job there just the day before.  

TallGrass President Matthew Breech says, "We do hope that it'll be the maximum sentence .. He's a murderer. He's a dangerous man [and] he deserves to be in prison. That's where he belongs."

The jury had been deliberating since about 11:30 a.m. Saturday.