Fatal kick in dispute over panhandling spot nets 5.5 year sentence

Photo: Google Maps

The site of a fatal altercation between two panhandlers in Nelson, B.C. in 2019

A man has been sentenced to 5.5 years in prison for killing another street-entrenched man in an altercation over a panhandling spot in Nelson, B.C.

Miles Halverson, 55, pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter after kicking Matthew Reeder in the head on June 5, 2018. Both were long-time members of the Nelson street community and had known each other for years, and for the most part, were friends. 

“This senseless death arose from a dispute over a prime panhandling location,” wrote BC Supreme Court Justice David Crerar in his sentencing decision Friday. “It was particularly shocking to the small and relatively peaceful community of Nelson.”

The same day prior to the killing, police had broken up a fight between Halverson and Reeder at a panhandling spot at 685 Baker Street. Considered one of the best panhandling spots in Nelson, Halverson believed he had the exclusive right to it.

At around 1 p.m., Halverson returned to the spot to find Reeder sitting there.

He yelled at him to move, and “in a single motion with his right foot,” the standing Halverson kicked Reeder, who was still sitting, in the side of the head full force while wearing steel-toed boots. The entire incident was captured on surveillance and observed by multiple witnesses. 

Reeder immediately slumped forward. The skin behind his ear turned black. His face and hands turned purple. He would die in Kelowna hospital 30 hours after the kick.

Halverson continued to yell at the unresponsive man he had just kicked, waving his arms, until a bystander stepped in.

Halverson left the scene and went to a liquor store where he told an employee he knew well, “I think I killed Mattie. I booted him in the head.”

Police arrested him a few blocks away. Halverson initially denied involvement in Reeder’s death, but soon admitted he had kicked him. 

“The police report records that he was visibly upset when he talked about Mr Reeder: he described him as a friend with whom he regularly had shared drinks,” the sentencing judge wrote. 

Halverson has a long criminal record with 43, many violent, previous convictions. Most of his offenses were related to alcohol and he completed residential treatment for alcoholism, in 1995, 2011, and 2014. Each time, however, he slipped back to drinking with his longest sober stint being seven months. 

In victim impact statements submitted by Reeder’s mother, father, and brother, "they do not focus on vengeance or anger."

“Instead, they express a very humane desire that Halverson receive the assistance he needs, towards rehabilitation and ultimate reintegration in society. At the same time, the family has stated that they wish to ensure that Mr Halverson never does anything like this again,” Justice Crerar said.

The victims family participated in the Collaborative Sentencing Project with Halverson, recommending that he “receive the necessary rehabilitation programming that he has in [the] past neither received nor sustained.”

The Crown sought a four to six year sentence, while the defence argued for one to two years. 

Justice Crerar pointed to Halverson’s lengthy violent previous criminal record, noting that a longer sentence is likely needed to help with extended rehabilitation efforts.

“He has been unable to sustain or benefit from programmes in [the] past while in society on his own without active assistance and supervision. Programmes aimed at education, anger management, and alcohol control will be more effective in custody, where past programmes have failed. The mandatory sobriety resulting from custody will also assist in these efforts.”