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...]
Officer Down: Stockton Police Officer Jimmy Inn
This is part of my ongoing series Officer Down - in honour of police officers slain in the line of duty. Stockton Police Department Officer Jimmy Inn gave his life in defence of a stranger on May 11, 2021. “He gave the ultimate sacrifice and he came to work every day, putting his life on the line for strangers he’d never met — coming to work to protect members of … [Read more...]
Membership has its Privileges: the Constable Adree Mohammed Zahara Story
On October 15, 2006, RCMP Constable Adree Mohammed Zahara fired nine bullets from her RCMP-issued pistol into the wall of her home during a domestic dispute with her partner, Constable Chuck Simm. A December 21, 2006, Saskatoon Star-Phoenix news report, shown below, informed readers that Constable Sahara pleaded guilty to a lone charge of careless use of a firearm related to … [Read more...]
At What Point Do We Deny Bail to Repeat Offenders?
NOTE: See my previous commentaries on Darian Henderson-Bellman's tragic death here and here. On Tuesday, July 28, 2020, Darian Henderson-Bellman was murdered, shot dead in the ultimate act of domestic violence. Her alleged murderer, Darnell Reid, was out on bail despite violating a restraining order barring him from contacting Ms. Henderson-Bellman. He … [Read more...]
Darian Henderson-Bellman: A Cautionary Tale of Domestic Abuse and Murder
Yesterday's commentary overflowed with my anger at our current Liberal government for their failure to fix Canada's Firearm Prohibition Order system. That failure, or more accurately this government's flat-out refusal to fix this broken system cost Darian Hailey Henderson-Bellman her life. In today's commentary I dig deeper into the story of her senseless murder. I do so … [Read more...]
Darian Henderson-Bellman: Murdered Because of Another Firearm Prohibition Order Failure
On Tuesday, July 28, 2020, Darian Henderson-Bellman was murdered, shot dead in the ultimate act of domestic violence. Instead of enjoying this August long weekend with family and friends, Darian Hailey Henderson-Bellman, the beautiful 25-year-old shown here, is dead because our government refuses to take seriously the threat of violent repeat offenders already prohibited … [Read more...]
No Trial for Anuja Baskaran’s Alleged Murder says Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled a man accused of murdering his wife in 2012 will never stand trial because of excessive delays bringing the accused killer to court. (See SCC's 2016 decision in R. v. Jordan) Backstory In 2004, Sri Lankan refugee Sivaloganathan Thanabalasingam landed in Canada to start a new life. At some point, date unknown, he married Anuja Baskaran and, … [Read more...]
Jennifer Quesnel’s Murder: Another Firearm Prohibition Order Failure?
June 10, 2020 Update via CBC: B.C. RCMP say they received no reports of domestic violence before Jennifer Quesnel was murdered by her estranged husband on June 1st, contradicting claims from her family. On Monday, June 1, 2020, every woman’s worst nightmare came true for Jennifer Quesnel. Her estranged husband, John Quesnel, shot and killed her with a gun he … [Read more...]
Julie Lynn Gaudet: Domestic Violence, Powerlessness and Firearm Prohibition Orders
Julie Lynn Gaudet made the news in January when she was sentenced to 30 days in jail for possession of a handgun for a purpose dangerous to the public peace. It was the latest in a long line of convictions for the 40-year-old woman who suffers from mental health issues and addiction. On September 21, 2019, while using a bank machine at the Bank of Montreal in the … [Read more...]
John LaFleche Bludgeons Wife and Two Young Children to Death With a Baseball Bat
This is part of my ongoing series on Canadian Mass Murders. On Sunday, March 5, 2006, John LaFleche got really, really drunk, fought with his estranged wife Wendy, then grabbed an aluminum baseball bat and bludgeoned her to death. Then, fearing his children would grow up in abusive foster care like he did, LaFleche beat 7-year-old Victoria and 3-year-old Jesse to death … [Read more...]
Red Flag Law? Let’s Track Violent Offenders with Firearm Prohibition Orders
[Updated 2020-02-18] Added info documenting Basil Borutski's history of domestic violence dating back to 1985. Canada doesn’t need a new “red flag law.” If Minister Bill Blair truly wants to improve public safety, he must rewrite legislation surrounding Firearm Prohibition Orders so violent offenders are tracked and routinely checked for compliance. If he … [Read more...]
Our Retarded Canadian Justice System
One day Ashley Thomas Brinston is too dangerous to release, 30 days later the Crown Prosecutor can't put him back on the streets fast enough. What's going on? Our justice system is often very good, but there are days where it is a complete farce. After making death threats to a woman, Ashley Thomas Brinston found himself in jail after police searched his home and found … [Read more...]
Wendy Cukier’s dangerous fallacy that women can’t defend themselves
Women like Wendy Cukier are dangerous. Wendy Cukier of Canada's Coalition for Gun Control is one of those individuals who believe the entire world should be run to fit her personal desire, and that’s a very dangerous thing. Yes, to guys like me who happen to like guns, to be sure, but she is far more dangerous to woman than she will ever be to me or any other man and our … [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...]