Man, 60, pleads guilty to manslaughter in 2018 Dartmouth death

Gregory Maxwell Purvis, a 60-year-old man from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, recently pleaded guilty to the charge of manslaughter in the death of Derek Miles, 42. The incident took place seven years ago in an apartment on Pinecrest Drive in Dartmouth, where Purvis admitted to stomping and kicking Miles to death.

Purvis, who has been in custody since his arrest two months after the crime, made the guilty plea in Nova Scotia Supreme Court. He is set to be sentenced next month, with a joint recommendation from the Crown and defense proposing a sentence of approximately 11 years. With credit for time served since March 2018, Purvis may be released after sentencing.

Originally, Purvis was convicted of second-degree murder in 2021, but the verdict was overturned by the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal due to legal errors made by the trial judge. An agreed statement of facts presented in court revealed that George Purvis, Gregory’s nephew, had informed him that Miles had insulted him by calling him a “rat,” a derogatory term for a police informant. This led to the fatal altercation at Miles’s apartment, resulting in his death from internal injuries.

Unlike second-degree murder, which entails intent to kill and carries an automatic life sentence, manslaughter does not have a minimum sentence unless a firearm is involved. The prosecution accepted Purvis’s guilty plea to manslaughter, citing the challenges posed by the case and the diminishing cooperation of witnesses. George Purvis, a drug dealer involved in the incident, had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter and testified at Gregory Purvis’s trial.

Miles, who had been trafficking drugs for George Purvis before his arrest by the police, was suspected of tipping off authorities. The case highlighted the complexities of criminal investigations and the consequences of escalating conflicts within criminal circles.

Overall, the resolution of Purvis’s case underscores the importance of accountability and the legal process in addressing acts of violence. The upcoming sentencing will determine the final outcome of this tragic event, shedding light on the complexities of the justice system and its implications for those involved in criminal activities.