One of my longstanding pet peeves is sentencing double-standards applied to police officers who break the law, so while my blood pressure rose briefly when I first came across this case, ultimately, it dropped once I read the details and agreed with Judge A. Peter Ross's sentencing decision in R. v. Planetta, 2021 NSPC 30. Nobody - not the Crown Prosecutor, not the Defence … [Read more...]
One Law for Me, Another for Thee
When you break the law in Canada, be it one of our many firearm laws or some other section of the Criminal Code, how you are treated by our justice system depends solely upon your legal status at the time of your offence. What's the colour of the stripe running down your pant legs? What? No stripe? Then may God have mercy on you because Canada's justice system certainly … [Read more...]
Police Misconduct: Abbotsford Constable Christopher Nicholson
Violating the public’s trust is nasty business. Violating the trust of your fellow police officers is an even more heinous offence because, as in the case of Abbotsford Police Constable Christopher Nicholson, it puts their lives at risk. On May 6th, 2013, Constable Christopher Nicholson’s criminal actions caught up with him. Nicholson was arrested and charged with ten counts … [Read more...]
RCMP Constable David Clarke Benefits from Police Sentencing Double-Standards
When an RCMP constable convicted of serious criminal offenses walks into court for his sentencing hearing he probably hums a pleasant tune, if only to himself. Why? His sentencing hearing is arguably the very best day in an otherwise demoralizing and publicly humiliating process. Just ask Monty Robinson. But how can that convicted criminal RCMP constable be sad when it's … [Read more...]
Ottawa Police Constable Todd Sheppard Lies in Attempt to Defraud Store
Ottawa Police Constable Todd Sheppard decided he wanted an expensive hiking bag but didn't want to pay for it. It's a classic case of a cop feeling entitled to someone else's property. The thing that bothers me most about this case is not that a cop felt he could defraud a store and lie about it when confronted on his illegal actions.It's that he had the gall to do this … [Read more...]
Mandatory Minimum Sentences do NOT apply to Cops???
The mandatory minimum sentence for attempted murder should NOT apply to a convicted criminal police officer? Under what twisted and perverse rationale could that argument possibly fly? Why the twisted and perverse rationale of defence lawyer Lawrence Gridin, of course. The lawyer for convicted criminal James Forcillo, the cop who shot Sammy Yatim 9 times and killing him on … [Read more...]
Ottawa Cop given special treatment after reporting his service pistol stolen
One of the things I love to write about most is the double-standard of treatment for we "mere citizens" and our brothers and sisters in law enforcement. The reason is simple. The mere presence of a stripe down your leg, regardless of that stripe's color, inevitably means those wearing the stripes are treated far differently than those of us without them. It's a … [Read more...]
For RCMP Only: Steal 6 Handguns and get Conditional Discharge
Imagine that you, mere citizen, managed to get your hands on 6 handguns and as part of your job you are to destroy them. You don't fulfill your job requirements for reasons the world will never know and take the handguns home. Eventually (7 years later!) you are caught with these 6 stolen handguns. Were you a mere citizen instead of a former RCMP member you would be in … [Read more...]
Monty Robinson Sentenced to Prison? It’s a MIRACLE!
I’m here in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, for Jane Gaffin’s Celebration of Life event (more on that later) and much to my shock and surprise Allen Carlos tells me that one of the cops who killed Robert Dziekanski was sentenced to prison time for perjury. I wracked my brain to remember who had gone on trial so far in this endless debacle. The first cop was acquitted although I … [Read more...]
Infamous RCMP Thug Geoff Mantler is Finally Sentenced… to a Joke on Us
It’s taken a long time but that infamous thug and former (Thank God!) RCMP Constable Geoff Mantler was finally sentenced for brutally kicking Buddy Tavares in the face. Like Benjamin (Monty) Robinson before him in his obstruction of justice trial for killing Orion Hutchinson, Canada's justice system protects those who wear the venerable red serge, no matter how heinous their … [Read more...]
When is Police Brutality NOT Police Brutality? When the Judge Says So…
RCMP Constable Andy Yung is a real piece of work. And by that I mean he is the type of man we really don't want patrolling our streets armed with a badge, a gun and the power to do as he pleases. He first hit my radar a few years ago when in a drunken fit he fired his service pistol through the ceiling of his hotel room. At the time he was one of a supposedly select group … [Read more...]
Labrador RCMP member arrested for child luring
Remember when Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said in defense of the warrantless search provisions of Bill C-30, “You’re with us, or the child pornographers”? I find it rather ironic that, just days before Bill C-30 was officially scrapped, an RCMP member in Newfoundland was arrested and charged with child luring on the internet. A member of the RCMP has been arrested and … [Read more...]
Must be nice to be a Corrupt Toronto Cop at Sentencing Time
I truly get sick of seeing corrupt policemen, instead of receiving prison time for their crimes, be rewarded for them instead by our asinine justice system. Clearly judges in Ontario are taking lessons in stupidity from B.C. Supreme Court Judge Janice Dillon, who sentenced former RCMP Corporal Monty Robinson to a whopping 30 days of house arrest for obstruction of justice … [Read more...]
RCMP Sgt. Owen Wlodarczak thinks he should not suffer any consequences for threatening to shoot his wife in the head
In May 2010 RCMP Staff Sgt. Owen Wlodarczak went home, punched his wife in the face half a dozen times and then threatened to shoot her in the head with his service pistol. He committed this vile act in front of his children. True to the double-standard in sentencing RCMP members as compared to we mere citizens, Owen Wlodarczak was sentenced to absolutely zero jail time; … [Read more...]
Justice for Orion Hutchinson and his family? Not a chance. Disgraced former RCMP Corporal Benjamin (Monty) Robinson plays the race card and wins
I was disgusted but not surprised that another piece of garbage in an RCMP uniform, Constable Geoff Mantler, walked free the other day, acquitted by Judge Takahashi. I saw that one coming a mile off. Reading the news, however, that arguably the most disgraceful person to ever wear an RCMP uniform, former RCMP Corporal Monty Robinson, will never set foot inside a prison cell … [Read more...]
RCMP Corporal Monty Robinson finally quits in disgrace prior to sentencing hearing
RCMP Corporal Monty Robinson has finally done something honourable… if you can call quitting in disgracebefore you’re fired as “honourable”, that is, right before you’re about to be sentenced for obstruction of justice. As regular readers of my columns will already know, Corporal Monty Robinson has been on paid vacation for the past 4 years. His troubles seemingly started … [Read more...]
RCMP Member forgets loaded handgun on BC Ferry. Imagine if you or I did that…
Sometimes things happen. Everyone forgets a bag now and then. It happens to even the most diligent person. But when you are a serving member of the RCMP and your carry bag contains your loaded service pistol... well... there's going to be a bit of a problem, isn't there? Now I commend the unnamed RCMP member for immediately notifying his superiors of his screwup. I actually … [Read more...]
Hypocrisy: When the law is applied differently based on the job description of the violator
A mere citizen would be facing a myriad of criminal charges, but that's to be expected in the New Canada, where Justice and Criminality are determined not by your actions, but by your job title. Take the case of Victoria Police Chief Jamie Graham. Chief Graham left his loaded service pistol under the front seat of his police car. Any mere citizen would be, as I said, … [Read more...]
A loaded pistol was found in his car, yet he’s not arrested, charged or sent off to prison
Can you imagine if you or I left a loaded handgun under the front seat of our vehicle and someone else found it? Here's roughly what would transpire next: 1. SWAT would be called in to serve a "high risk warrant", kick in our front door, arrest us, seize anything and everything even remotely related to firearms, and parade us and our personal property before the media to … [Read more...]
Lying Staff Sergeant Ross Spenard: Reason #8 to dump the BC RCMP
We “mere citizens” have high expectations from the men and women who make up our police forces. We expect them to act with integrity, to be honourable and above all, to tell the truth. Time after time we hear reports of members of the RCMP (and almost every other police force) breaking the very laws they are sworn to uphold. When they lie, however, somehow that violation … [Read more...]
Edmonton Police Service Constable Mike Wasylyshen needs a hard look in the mirror
Edmonton Police Service Constable Mike Wasylyshen, the son of former Edmonton Police Chief Bob Wasylyshen, needs to take a serious look in the mirror. He's just sued CBC Television for $100,000 for defamation over their reporting of his illustrious career. The suit shouldn't last long. Probably ten seconds in front of a judge would be my bet. Why? The Truth is a … [Read more...]
Sentencing Double-Standard rears its ugly head again. Kelowna RCMP Staff Sergeant gets a wrist-slap for assault and firearm charges
Imagine, if you will, that you have a very bad day. You go home, punch your wife in the face 6 or 8 times while your children watch in horror, then you put a gun to your wife's head and threaten to kill her. Your children watch the whole terrible scene go down. You are arrested and charged, and you plead guilty to assault and careless use of a firearm. What sentence do … [Read more...]