Man sentenced for 2019 murder of Ottawa hip-hop artist Markland Campbell

Donald Musselman has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 12 years after he was convicted of second-degree murder in the shooting death of hip-hop artist Markland Campbell in 2019.

Campbell had just left work in June 2019 when his daughter told him two men in the ByWard Market had assaulted her. He was unarmed and was shot while coming to her aid. He died several hours later in hospital.

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The murder conviction carries an automatic life sentence but a judge had to decide how many years Musselman would have to spend behind bars before he was eligible to apply for parole.  

"I don't think 12 years sends an appropriate message to people that are willing to use guns to settle arguments. And in fact it's an argument that Mr. Musselman was even part of," said Ottawa Police Det. Chris Benson.

Musselman has maintained his innocence and someone else testified at trial that they fired the fatal shots. The jury didn’t buy it and convicted Musselman of second-degree murder in December 2023. Musselman’s lawyer believes he was wrongfully convicted and plans to file an appeal.

In delivering the sentence, Justice Anne London-Weinstein said Musselman was "firmly entrenched in a criminal lifestyle" at the time of the killing.

"Mr. Musselman's response not only ended Mr. Campbell's life but also put the public at risk of injury or death when he fired the handgun twice killing Markland Campbell."

London-Weinstein told the court that Musselman expressed no remorse.

"He maintained his innocence throughout this trial and continues to maintain his innocence," London-Weinstein said.

"His lack of expression of remorse cannot be held against him in any way and I have not done so. However, he does not receive the mitigating benefit of having expressed remorse as part of sentencing consideration."

Campbell was a member of the hip-hop/reggae trio Half Size Giants and went by the name Jahiant Jahh. The group was formed more than 25 years ago and was fiercely anti-violence.