Victim of fatal shooting who 'cared a bit too much' killed confronting cocaine dealer

Jordan Moore, who was fatally shot after confronting a drug dealer who'd sold his friend cocaine, was a man who "cared a bit too much," a Calgary judge was told during Jermaine Bailey's guilty plea Monday. 

Originally charged with first-degree murder, Bailey, 32, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of Moore, 34, who was shot in January 2019. 

In court on Monday, Margaret Moore spoke of her faith and addressed her son's killer moments after he pleaded guilty.

"Jermaine, I forgive you," said Moore as part of her victim impact statement. 

Prosecutor Mike Ewenson and defence lawyer David Chow jointly proposed a sentence of nine years in prison. This was accepted and imposed by Court of Queen's Bench Justice Kim Nixon, who also gave Bailey just over three years' credit for the time he has already served. 

"I hope you appreciate the incredible generosity of forgiveness from Mr. Moore's mother," said Nixon.

Bailey's brother Xavier Bailey faces a charge of accessory after the fact to murder in connection to the killing. His case will be dealt with at a later date.

Victim angry friend was buying cocaine

On the night of Jan. 21, 2019, Moore and a close friend who lived across the street had been drinking together in the northwest community of Hillhurst. 

CBC News will only identify the friend as Nancy, because her child is part of this story. 

Nancy wanted to buy cocaine and Moore "objected to her plan strenuously."

Moore was concerned Nancy would lose custody of her daughter. 

The two got into a fight, according to an agreed statement of facts read aloud by Ewenson, and Moore left. 

Nancy called Jermaine Bailey, a drug dealer who went by the street name "Kane." 

Moore confronts drug dealer twice

About an hour later, Nancy got into Bailey's car and bought drugs. As she got out, Moore approached the car and smashed out the back window of Bailey's car.

Nancy went inside her home and consumed the cocaine she'd bought. 

She then tracked down Moore, worried about Bailey's reaction to the broken window. 

To alleviate Nancy's concerns, Moore had a conversation with Bailey and agreed he would pay for the broken window.

Nancy and Moore agreed to meet in her backyard. When she couldn't find him, she went looking in the nearby alley where she found her friend face down, suffering from a gunshot wound. 

After his arrest, Bailey told police that he came back to the alley, thinking he and Moore would be dealing with the broken window reimbursement.

'He simply cared a bit too much'

Instead, he said, Moore confronted him again, yelling more about his involvement in the drug trade. 

Moore came after Bailey, swinging the same stick he'd used on the window. 

Bailey fired several shots at Moore as he fled the scene. 

"Mr. Moore acted in the best of intentions," said Ewenson in his submissions to Court of Queen's Bench Justice Kim Nixon. 

Ewenson said the situation "manifested itself out of love and concern" for Nancy. 

"Jordan Moore is not the bad guy here … he simply cared a bit too much about Nancy's well-being."

'You can become a man who brings life'

Moore's mother and brother each read statements about their loss. 

Margaret Moore wrote about her hope that Bailey will turn his life around. 

"You're destroying your own life," Moore told Bailey. 

"Today is the first day of the rest of your life … you can become a man who brings life rather than one who destroys. You can be a man who inspires good."

Jason Moore said his brother was his best friend, the best man at his wedding and an amazing uncle. 

"I cannot point and say, it hurts here," said Jason. "It hurts everywhere and nowhere."