Mike on Crime

with Mike McIntyre

• Joe Firefighter

  The reputation of Winnipeg firefighters has taken a major hit in recent weeks after news of a so-called “sex tryst” became public.

  A veteran member has been suspended and re-assigned after admitting he breached his duties by engaging in a kiss with a young woman who was visiting his Osborne Street fire station.

  View Full Post | 11/09/2009 9:46 AM | 16

• Igniting the violence

  It serves as the fuel for organized crime - and Winnipeggers are consuming it at an alarming rate.

  
  

  Police and justice sources believe locals are now smoking and snorting a staggering 500 kilograms of cocaine per month, while only a tiny fraction of that is actually being seized.

  View Full Post | 5/08/2009 4:30 PM | 20

• An innocent victim

  

  Enlarge Image 

  Cheryl Roberts (FAMILY PHOTO)

  It had been less than 48 hours since they received the devastating news – Cheryl Robert had been shot dead at a Winnipeg wedding social.

  Yet here I was, sitting on a couch inside an East Kildonan home Monday night, absolutely stunned at how kind and gracious this grieving family could be.

  View Full Post | 28/07/2009 2:18 PM | 2

• Shopping mall justice

  Is it any wonder why the public has so little faith in the justice system?
  
  Take the curious case of Robert Dmytruk.
  
  The former Winnipeg gang member committed one of the city’s most shocking crimes – murdering an innocent bystander and then trying to kill the victim’s girlfriend so there would be no witnesses.
  
  Dmytruk was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 15 years. His earliest date to apply for release is in July 2011.
  
  Or so we thought.
  
  As I reported exclusively in Saturday’s Free Press, Dmytruk has been receiving passes to leave prison for short periods at a time since August 2008 – a full 35 months before parole eligibility.
  
  He has visited at least three Winnipeg shopping malls, a local gym, Wal-Mart, the library and even 7-Eleven. In some cases, his supervisor was a prison guard. In others, he was apparently being watched by another convicted murderer who is currently out in the community on parole. (under the federal Life Line program)
  
  The National Parole Board insists they’ve done nothing improper in the handling of Dmytruk’s case. And there is no evidence to suggest Dmytruk hasn`t been on his best behaviour.
  
  All federal inmates are entitled to apply for temporary absences from prison at any point in their sentence. Some may be for medical reasons. Others may be for court purposes. And then there are ones like Dmytruk, who receive them for so-called rehabilitative purposes.
  
  Dmytruk was one of 201 offenders to receive escorted passes last year. Most of them are also serving life sentences.
  
  Let me be perfectly clear about one thing.
  
  I`m all for easing an inmate`s transition back into the community and not simply opening the prison door on the day of their release, wishing them good luck and giving them complete and absolute freedom. That is a recipe for disaster. There obviously has to be a series of baby steps taken, and temporary absences clearly fall under that category. I`ve got no issue with them being issued.
  
  I sincerely hope Robert Dmytruk does well, can turn his life around and eventually become a productive citizen. If he doesn’t, think of what an enormous waste all the resources – financial and otherwise – that have been invested in him to date would be. If we`re not going to keep an offender locked up forever in this country, then we may as well hope that they at least emerge from prison a better person. Society will be all the better for it, obviously.
  
  However, that doesn`t change the fact that I find it absolutely ridiculous that Dmytruk is already being eased back into society. There is no need for this process to begin a full three years before his parole date. In fact, I don`t think it should be allowed to begin UNTIL an inmate has reached that date.
  
  Shelly Glover, a former Winnipeg cop now serving as a Conservative MP, agrees. She told me her government will move quickly to introduce legislation to bring about so-called truth in sentencing.
  
  If a judge says you must do 15 years before you can be considered for release, then you would have to do 15 years. Only then could the so-called transition process begin.
  
  I just don`t get what the hurry is, but can`t help but wonder if this isn`t a side-effect of our clearly overcrowded prison population. We know that institutions across this country are jam-packed, and recent government proposals to do away with some conditional sentences and introduce mandatory minimum prison terms will only add to the congestion.
  
  While I doubt anyone in authority would admit it, you wonder if there`s a culture that exists to get people out the door as quickly as possible in order to clear out room for the new guests.
  
  I have already heard from several people on this issue, with differing opinions. Many are outraged at the system, while a handful are upset with me for appearing to pick on Dmytruk.
  
  Again, let me be clear. A friend of his called into my national Crime and Punishment radio show Sunday night, explaining that Dmytruk is a changed man who desperately needs these short visits into the community to get him ready for the eye-opening experience of parole. The world has no doubt changed in the time Dmytruk has been locked up and it will take some getting used to.
  
  I understand that. And I agreed with Dmytruk`s friend that these are important steps to take. But I also stated that I see no reason why they have to be taken so soon.
  
  Dmytruk`s girlfriend was also critical, saying he deserves to be given a second chance. She told me he has served his time.
  
  That`s where her argument falls apart. No, he hasn`t. He`s now done close to 13 years of the 15 a judge said he must serve. Only in Canada could that be considering doing one`s time, I suppose.
  
  Feel free to share your thoughts below. And if you haven`t already, go to www.twitter.com/mikeoncrime  to follow me in real-time, both inside and outside the courts.

   

  View Full Post | 22/06/2009 5:49 PM | 13

• Twitter-gate

   The wheels of justice may move slowly, but technology is ensuring that court and crime stories travel faster than ever down the information highway.
  
   And that is clearly making a lot of people nervous.
  
   Take Tuesday for example, where myself and the Free Press somehow found ourselves at the centre of a mini-courtroom controversy. It ended up being much-ado-about-nothing, but the fact the issue came up speaks volumes about the current legal climate.
  
   Some background:
  
   A high-profile trial began this week pitting alleged white supremacist parents against Child and Family Services. At stake is the fate of two young children who have been apprehended largely on the grounds the parents are allegedly poisoning their minds with racist thoughts and beliefs.
  
   CFS tried to have the media banned from covering the case, believing any publicity would cause further harm to the children. Several media outlets, including the Free Press, fought the application on the grounds the case is of national (and perhaps international) interest because of the unique issues involved and the public deserved to hear about it.
  
   CFS claims promoting hatred and racism in children amounts to emotional abuse. The oldest child’s stepfather, who is the biological father of the younger child, has filed a constitutional challenge claiming his rights to freedom of speech, religion and expression have been infringed upon and the children should be returned immediately.
  
   In the end, the judge rejected CFS’s bid and granted permission for reporters to attend the trial.
  
   And so there we were, Monday morning, pens at the ready. But many of us were equipped with another tool - the Blackberry. At the Free Press, our coverage plans included live, as-it-happens reporting direct from the courtroom through the wildly-popular Twitter website and my personal account, twitter.com/mikeoncrime. This would be in addition to our extensive website and newspaper coverage.
  
   But there was just one catch - the judge ruled, just as the case was beginning, that all pagers must be shut off in court and texting, “Tweeting” or any other form of electronic communication from inside the room was banned.
  
   This stems from her decision to allow the media to cover the trial - but with the provision that she reserves the right to re-visit that decision at any time if evidence begins to emerge that she believes may cause “undue harm” to the children if publicized.
  
   As a result, instantaneous reporting from court was a no-no, as the judge clearly wanted to allow for a brief period of time to pass to ensure what we were all hearing in court wasn’t going to be the subject of any motions, bans, etc., before it was put on public display.
  
   And that was fine. I quickly let my followers on Twitter know this, posting the following “Tweet” at 10:14 a.m. Monday just before I headed into court.
  
   “Bad news - judge in CFS alleged “neo nazi” case has banned texting in court, won’t be able to do live updates, but will on breaks. Stay tuned.”
  
   The trial then began. I sat in court, along with other media, and never touched my Blackberry. It remained turned off the entire time. Only when they took the lunch break - and I was out of the courtroom - did I begin to post a series of rapid-fire Twitter updates about what had happened during the previous two hours.
   
  I posted another bunch of updates during a mid-afternoon break and again at the end of the day once court had closed. All of this was made explicity clear in my time-stamped messages.
  
   At least I thought it had.
  
   Imagine my surprise when I showed up in court Tuesday morning to learn the lawyer representing the stepfather in this case had accused me of violating the judge’s order by posting live Twitter updates from court on Monday. She even had printed off transcripts of my “Tweets” and showed them to the judge.
  
   I was stunned. Not only was this 100 per cent wrong and personally insulting, but it was potentially hazardous to all media given the judge’s previous warning and the fact she sitll had the right to re-examine whether the media could cover the case. The last thing we needed was to have our rights taken away by a false accusation such as this.
  
   I waited until a break and spoke with the lawyer for CFS, letting him know that I absolutely had not violated the ban and my Twitter posts would back me up on that. I told him I take court orders seriously and would never snub my nose at one. He suggested I speak directly with the lawyer who had made the claims to see what could be done.
  
   Unfortunately, she didn’t seem interested in my explanation and refused my request to go back to court and “correct the record” by telling the judge she was clearly mistaken in her claims. She suggested we get a media lawyer involved if we wanted to pursue the matter any further.
  
  And that’s exactly what we did. Two hours later, just before court resumed for the afternoon sitting, a lawyer appeared on behalf of the Free Press to set the record straight. She assured the judge all orders had been complied with and would continue to be complied with. The judge was satisfied with the explanation and thanked the lawyer for coming down to clear things up. No harm, no foul.
  
    In the process, a Canadian record may have been set for the most times the word “Twitter” and “Tweeting” have ever been uttered in a courtroom.
   
  In the couple months I’ve been on Twitter, I’ve routinely updated live from court for sentencing hearings, jury verdicts and trials. Hundreds of followers seem to enjoy the ability to have a front-row seat on what’s happening, as it’s happening.
   
  This is the first time an issue has ever arisen - although I don’t expect it to be the last.
  
   After all, it’s clear everyone is still trying to wrap their heads around technology and the role it plays in various parts of our lives. I guess the storied-old justice system shouldn’t be any different.
   
  In the meantime, you can find me at twitter.com/mikeoncrime - keeping you posted from inside AND outside the courts!
   

  View Full Post | 27/05/2009 5:49 PM | 2

• TJ's gift

  First off, my apologies for being a bad blogger. I’ve neglected this forum a bit over the past few weeks while playing with the shiny new technological toy that is Twitter.

  In case you’ve missed it, I recently joined the 140-character fun and am regularly “Tweeting” from the courthouse about various cases and issues I’m covering. It’s a pretty cool tool, which allows you to essentially follow along live as stories break, sentences are handed down, verdicts are given, etc. Feel free to follow me at www.twitter.com/mikeoncrime. However, I promise not to become a stranger to the blogosphere.

  View Full Post | 8/05/2009 3:18 PM | 15

• Tweet, tweet

  You can’t fight technology.

  And so, after a few weeks of peer pressure from my colleague, Bruce Owen, I’ve joined the online revolution known as “Twitter”.

  View Full Post | 26/03/2009 3:08 PM | 0

• Club Fed

  Somewhat overshadowed by this week’s news of convicted cop killer Laurie Bell being re-arrested for a parole violation was the following little nugget from the jail guard she’s alleged to be romantically linked to.

  The man – who spoke to the me from his Edmonton home – had this to say about his time spent supervising Bell and other female inmates at the Edmonton Institute For Women.

  View Full Post | 19/03/2009 2:02 PM | 1

• Did 12-year-old killer have a fighting chance?

  Is it possible to feel sorry for someone who commits one of the most vile and senseless killings you'll ever hear about?

  Crown attorney Ami Kotler posed a very interesting question in court this week at the sentencing hearing for the 12-year-old girl who took part in the sadistic slaying of a completely innocent stranger.

  View Full Post | 25/02/2009 12:27 PM | 10

• A new low?

  Has our thirst for celebrity "infotainment" hit a new low?

  That's the question I'm asking today after some low-life leaked a picture of pop singer Rihanna to the TMZ website which shows her battered and bruised face following an alleged case of domestic violence.

  View Full Post | 20/02/2009 1:20 PM | 2

• Too quick to judge

  The justice system isn't perfect. Far from it.
  
  And anyone who reads my columns in the Winnipeg Free Press, checks out these blogs, visits my website at www.mikeoncrime.com or listens to my national "Crime and Punishment" radio show would know that I feel very strongly about the need for justice reform.
  
  I'm often very critical of what goes down in our courts, and many of the things I see leave me confused and even angry, on occassion.
  
  However, I also feel strongly that the system - and its participants - are often unfairly targeted and blamed for things well beyond its control.
  
  A couple of recent "knee-jerk" examples that have me scratching my head.
  
  ***
  
  I read the other day, in an opinion piece in another media, how the appointment of Chief Judge Ray Wyant to preside over the Brian Sinclair inquest is cause for concern.
  
  The author's main beef, it would appear, was the fact Wyant was the judge in the very controversial Taman case that saw him agree to a joint-recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers and give former Winnipeg cop Derek Harvey-Zenk a conditional sentence.
  
  To quote the writer directly - "Wyant is the same judge who let former Winnipeg cop Derek Harvey-Zenk off scot-free after he killed Crystal Taman when he slammed his car into hers."
  
  Excuse me???
  
  Think what you want about Harvey-Zenk, but he certainly did not get off "scot-free."
  
  He got a two year-less-a-day conditional sentence - the maximum allowed by law - which included an absolute curfew. He must serve every single day of that sentence. Unlike a jail sentence of two years, in which Harvey-Zenk would likely be released after eight months (one-third), there is no time off for a good behaviour.
  
  I'm not defending the sentence. In fact, I'm on record as supporting mandatory jail for anyone who kills in a driving-related offence, such as this.
  
  But I'm also not delusional and believe a conditional sentence is the same as getting away scot-free.
  
  Harvey-Zenk lost his job with the police service. He will always have a criminal record. Travel outside of Canada will likely be very difficult. He will always be known as a killer. And he must live every day with what he did.
  
  "Scot-free" would be walking away with an outright acquittal, or getting a discharge that means you have no criminal record, no punishment, etc.
  
  And, for the record, Wyant's approval of the joint-recommendation fell in line with a pile of similar sentences given out in similar (and in some cases even more serious) offences. He certainly didn't make any new law here. He simply followed the law as he was supposed to, especially when presented with a plea bargain from two experienced lawyers, as was the case here.
  
  We know the Taman case was fraught with errors - and, in fact, it was Wyant's figurative holding of his nose at this case that triggered a public inquest and helped expose much of what went wrong.
  
  Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I happen to know and respect Chief Judge Wyant very well. He appears monthly on my radio show and takes unedited, unscreened live phone-in calls from listeners across Canada. How many other judges in this country would open themselves up to that kind of process? I'll tell you - pretty much none.
  
  But this has nothing to do with Wyant, and everything to do with fostering what I believe is an often ill-informed view of the justice system. And, as a member of the media, I realize my occupation means that things I write and say often help shape that public perception, which is why I'm using this forum to raise these concerns.
  
  ***
  
  I felt a similar reaction this past weekend as e-mails began pouring in which reacted to my exclusive Free Press story about the fact Greyhound Bus killer Vince Li was likely going to a mental health facility, and not prison, because doctors had found he was suffering a major mental illness at the time and can't be held criminally responsible.
  
  Predictably, people were upset. And I understand that. But I think it's also important to remember that, contrary to what some readers apparently think, Li is going to suffer major consequences regardless of how his trial ends next month.
  
  Case in point:
  
  
  "I read your article in the Free Press and I was shocked to read that they were thinking of letting Li off for the murder of Tim McLean.  I am a mother of two men the same age as Tim,one that worked for the Ex and had planned to travel with them as Tim did.  It could hae been him on that bus.  What is the crown and the defense thinking....Do they not have children of their own? What if it was one of theirs and not Tim???? How would they feel? Would they be so ready to release that monster back into society if it had been?  I really do not think so! They call this Justice."
  and...
  
  
  "Hey Mike, what the hell is this about Li not being responsible for killing Tim McLean? Who was the genius that determined that this man should be set free because he was suffering from a mental illness? I would really like to meet them and ask them what they would do if it had been one of their children or a close family member on that bus that day. The mother of the victim is clearly beside herself, and who can blame her. To her and the McLeans, my condolenses. To Li, I have nothing but disrespect and a burning desire for justice. It seems that Li has gotten away with murder. He has been treated and let back into society with no major consequenses."
  
  
  To clarify - whether Li is found NCR or not, he is not getting away with anything. Nor is he going to be back out on the streets next month. He is likely going to be locked up for a very long time - possibly longer in a mental health facility than what he would be if sentenced to prison.
  
  Don't forget, if Li is found criminally responsible for the charge of 2nd degree murder, he could be parole eligible in as few as 10 years from the day of his arrest.
  
  We know our communities are filled with people out on parole. I'm not sure the same came be said of mentally ill individuals who have committed the most heinous crimes known to man, such as murder.
  
  And put it this way - if we operate on the assumption that someday, Li will return to the community (whether its through parole in prison, or through a mental health release), wouldn't you feel a little safer knowing that people who specialize in major mental illness have actually had the time to work closely with Li to hopefully get a handle on what happened?
  
  I certainly would prefer that scenario, as oppossed to one that sees Li sent to prison, rot in a cell for a decade or more without much in the way of treatment, exercise his democratic right to apply for parole and then return to the streets- likely still as messed up as when he went in, possibly worse based on what he experiences behind bars.
  
  Also, there is no point in blaming the Crown here, as one of the writers above did. They are simply doing their job -  presenting the evidence they have. If their own medical expert happens to feel Li is NCR, I'm not sure what members of the public would like them to do about that? Should they dismiss the opinion and go "doctor shopping", hoping they can find someone who might come to a different conclusion?
  
  Once again, I'm not trying to tell anyone they don't have a right to be upset about what's happened here. As someone who has spent time interviewing the McLean family, sitting in court and hearing the surreal facts of this case, I can vouch for the fact is is deeply upsetting.
  
  But at the end of the day, we have to face the reality of what our system is. Li can't be put to death, because there is no such penalty in Canada. Li can't be ordered to spend the rest of his life in prison or hospital without a shot at release, because there is no sentence in Canada.
  
  I'll let Meghan, another one of the many e-mailers, have the last word.
  
  
  "The details/evidence will play itself out in court. He will go to a mental health facility and he will eventually be allowed into the community - probably under 'supervision'. What he did was horrible - YES. But no sane person could have been capable of doing what he did. He needs help and is apparently responding to treatment already. The public needs to come to grips with the reality of this case. There will be no other result."
  
  
  GOT AN OPINION? Have your voice heard -- post it below.
  

  View Full Post | 17/02/2009 5:52 PM | 11

• Justice delayed, justice denied?

  He is deaf, nearly blind, suffers from a disease similar to Alzheimer's and is 93-years-old.

  And on Tuesday, he narrowly escaped going to prison.

  View Full Post | 27/01/2009 1:36 PM | 1

• One of Winnipeg's lost souls

  Jonathon Dorion is one of the lost souls in Winnipeg.
  
  The homeless man has been arrested a staggering 328 times under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act. He’s racked up another 82 criminal convictions, mostly for petty nuisance offences and breaching court orders. He’s been sniffing solvents since he was seven-years-old.
  
  And when he’s not in jail, his home is usually the cold interior of a U-Haul truck.
  
  Dorion, 34, pleaded guilty Wednesday to his latest crimes which include violating a restraining order and sneaking into the McPhillips Street U-Haul rental compound to seek shelter yet again. He also admits to threatening to kill several of the police officers who came to arrest him.
  
  Community prosecutor Susan Helenchilde said the system is at a loss to try and deal with Dorion, who frightens, intimidates, threatens and even chases staff at the U-Haul business that doubles as his home.
  
  “He is there virtually every day that he’s not in custody,” said Helenchilde, noting countless prior efforts by the courts to keep him away have failed miserably.
  
  Even when they don’t see him directly, staff know when Dorion has been around. He frequently urinates, defecates and masturbates inside the trucks. He leaves them smelling strongly of solvents. And he regularly tries to siphon gasoline from them.
  
  “He sucks the fumes directly into his mouth, which sometimes gets frozen to the fuel hose. He’s leaving behind blood and dead lip skin,” said Helenchilde.
  
  “It’s remarkable he’s even survived to this point.”
  
  Helenchilde said staff at the U-Haul complex have tried to help Dorion on numerous occasions by calling an ambulance for him. They also stopped locking their trucks for a period,, mainly because they were tired of having to repair the glass he had smashed to get inside.
  
  Defence lawyer Amanda Sansregret said her client is a “tragic figure” who has clearly been left behind by society.
  
  “Nothing the courts can do to Mr. Dorion will come close to the punishment he’s inflicted on himself,” she said.
  
  Dorion was sentenced to three more months in jail Wednesday, in addition to the time already spent in custody since his most recent arrest last fall. Sansregret said she wanted to keep her client behind bars until the spring as a means of keeping him safe until the weather warms up.
  
  She hopes Dorion can turn his troubled life around - including finding some permanent housing - but admits it will be a challenge to keep him out of the criminal justice system.
  
  And, evidently, U-Haul trucks.

  www.mikeoncrime.com

  View Full Post | 14/01/2009 5:40 PM | 3

• Reader mail

  Jail riots, drunk drivers and drugs...just a few of the topics that have some readers riled up lately.
   
  Here’s a sampling of some of the more interesting e-mails I’ve received in recent days. Keep the comments coming by contacting me through my website at mike on crime <http://www.mikeoncrime.com> .  
  
   NO PUBLIC SHAMING OF DRUNKS...AND THAT’S A SHAME – G.L.P writes...... “Mike, I see all kinds of coverage in both the local newspapers in regards to drunk drivers and that police are making the names of those charged with impaired driving public. There was an article in one of the papers (earlier this week) that says: “It seems even public shame hasn’t proven an effective deterrent.”
  
   My question is - What public shame? Putting a blurb in your articles that “names of those who have been charged with impaired driving can be found on the Wpg. Police Service Web site” HARDLY constitutes public shame.
  
  I wonder how many people access the Winnipeg Police Service Web site? And read the names of those charged? I have no doubt that it is very few.
  
   I am curious as to why the media who jump on the “news” aspects of impaired driving and yet can’t seem to find the space in the newspaper to prominently display the names of those who have been charged with impaired or refusal of breathalyzer. Unless it is someone who is or has had previously been featured in the media and the story can sell newspapers you don’t see the names of all those charged with impaired driving or refusal.
  
   Why not? Printing and showing the “ gruesome and spectacular” carnage that result from impaired drivers sells newspapers. I’ve actually been there and continue to be there to deal with the death and destruction that’s caused on a regular basis . If you claim to really be wanting to be seen as serious about the issue why not publicize the names of all of those charged. The media shouldn’t be on both sides of the fence: “Oh drunk driving kills and drunks should not be driving” on one hand and “Turn to page 3 to see the latest spectacular crash” on the other.”
  
   
   G.L.P, I don’t disagree with you at all. I wish all local media – including my own employer – would publish the names. It’s something I’ve argued strongly about in the past. (GO TO THE FOLLOWING TO READ A BLOG I WROTE ON THE SUBJECT IN 2007 -  http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/mcintyre/34249479.html) I don’t make policy decisions but my understanding is the Free Press (and I can only assume other media) doesn’t want to  publish the name of someone when they’re only charged - not convicted – of an offence that we are unlikely to follow through to the end and report on the outcome. As you can imagine, covering the case of every single drunk driver in court is just not feasible.
  
   METH MESSES UP MANY LIVES – Lynn responds to my story last week on Daniel Van Den Bosch, the troubled young crystal meth addict who killed himself in front of horrified Winnipeg police officers.
  
  “You may have went a lot further on your story Mike.  Daniel Van Den Bosch’s death was only a symptom of a huge problem that continues to grow.
  
  The streets are full of individuals like that who have such uncontrollable addictions, and they have nowhere to turn..  The courts are overloaded with them and they are put back out where they know full well they will re-offend due to their addictions (sickness)  And even many who are charged with dealing these dangerous drugs are pushed back on the street by a system that cannot cope with the load.   The dealers should be incapacitated, because they are destroying lives-  In some cases the dealers are also addicts no doubt.. It is one huge horrific out of control problem.”
  
   Lynn, I have a daily front-row seat down at the Law Courts to witness the impact drugs have on our community. I completely agree with your take on this and believe drugs are the number one issue in our city right now. Take any crime – be it having your car stolen, your house broken into, the mugging down your street or the latest gang shooting – and drugs are likely connected. They truly are at the root of almost all evil.
   
  ***
   
  MIKE WEARS DIAPERS? – Judy takes me to task for writing that the 1996 riot at Headingley Jail was the “worst” in the province’s history.
  
  “Hey McIntyre. Excuse me sir....the above quote is NOT correct. Have you ever heard of a couple of Corrections Officers by the name of : 1. Werner Friesen?   2. Joseph Wendl? Where were you?  Perhaps still in diapers? 
  
  So that’s it. A couple of guys die doing their job....you know helping to keep riffraff off the streets and no mention. The worst prison riot in Manitoba took place at Stony Mt. in 1984. I will expect you to apologize for screwing up big time.
  
  I was a wife of a Correction’s Officer. I know the pain because my husband was part of that God awful event.  Then some goof ball named Mile McIntyre trivializes that nightmare.....Werner and Joe died for nothing.  No respect for these fallen heroes, no respect for those that cleaned up their blood and wept at their funerals.
  
  McIntyre, you are a piece of work. I suggest you fine another line of work....you’re a useless “Crime reporter.”.....next time check your facts. That is what you’re supposed to do, right?    
   
  Judy, thanks very much for the “colourful” e-mail.
  
  Yes, I’ve heard of Friesen and Wendl, and it was a horribly tragic case. Certainly it was the deadliest prison incident in Manitoba’s history, and I definitely meant no disrespect to the slain guards or their families by not mentioning it in my initial story on last weekend’s Stony gang riot (which, for the record, was quickly put together between the hours of 11 p.m. and midnight, not much time to dig through the archives to meet our deadline) Hopefully you’ve taken note of the fact the 1984 incident has been mentioned in our subsequent coverage.
  
  Oh, and in response to your other question - I’ve checked with my mother, and no, I wasn’t still in diapers in 1984.
   

  View Full Post | 13/01/2009 7:00 PM | 11

• Stories that touched me

  Two thousand and eight marked my 13^th year of covering crime for this fine newspaper. It also represented one of the busiest, most shocking and most heart-wrenching years I’ve ever experienced.

  Several major crime stories received national and even international attention – a fact I can personally attest to having been interviewed more than 75 times by radio stations across Canada and even into places like England about things that were happening in our own backyard.

  View Full Post | 30/12/2008 3:21 PM | 2

• 'Tis the Season....for scams

  It's a familiar scenario - a greedy Grinch takes advantage of the public's collective goodwill in an attempt to stuff their own proverbial stockings.

  I'm sure many of you have been victimized. I was, a few years back, by the crying con artist who later came to be known as the "Scam Maam".

  View Full Post | 23/12/2008 2:40 PM | 1

• Failing our fellow man

  It was a troubling scene: an elderly man, crawling on all fours down a frozen sidewalk, his glasses hanging off his face, clearly injured and disoriented, unable to stand up.

  But what bothered me even more as I drove downtown late Monday evening on my way home from the gym was how many people simply passed by the senior without stopping.

  View Full Post | 9/12/2008 4:41 PM | 6

• What were they thinking?

  The Manitoba justice system, Winnipeg police and RCMP have shown an amazing lack of consistency this week in the way two tragic impaired driving cases have been handled.

  Let me walk you through the timeline.

  View Full Post | 5/12/2008 5:14 PM | 0

• You wonder why judges claim their hands are tied

  Here's a perfect example of why judges are often so limited in their ability to hand down significant sentences.

  The Manitoba Court of Appeal ruled Monday that a lower court judge was WRONG to sentence a former first nation chief to jail for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl.

  View Full Post | 25/11/2008 11:07 AM | 0

• Thinking about Phoenix

  View Full Post | 14/11/2008 2:50 PM | 1

• Small talk, big trouble

  Should provincial court Judge Ken Champagne have removed himself from presiding over a high-profile criminal case?In case you missed it, Champagne raised concerns earlier this month about some light-hearted small talk he had with the lawyer representing the accused, Brock Golden, during a recent social event.The two men crossed paths at a legal conference, just two days after Golden's sentencing hearing ended with Champagne reserving his decision.Golden, the son of long-time city councillor Al Golden, admitted he used the Internet to lure teenage girls to a city hotel room to have sex with and take nude photos. The Crown asked for a three-year prison sentence, while Golden is seeking a conditional penalty that allows him to remain free in the community.Champagne returned to court last week during an emergency hearing to decide whether he should stay on the case.The judge told court how he and Wolson made idle chit chat until talk turned to the sentencing hearing.According to Champagne, Wolson said he “wanted to share a story.” Wolson then described how one of his client’s many supporters in court less than 48 hours earlier had been retired provincial court Judge Sam Minuk, a long-time family friend of the Goldens.Wolson told Champagne that Minuk had wanted to submit a letter of support on behalf of Golden, and also address the court and make a verbal submission. Wolson said he had talked Minuk out of it, believing it would put Champagne in an "uncomfortable" position.“Then, in a joking manner, Mr. Wolson stated, ‘So you owe me one. You won’t issue a bench warrant for me if I’m stuck in Ottawa,” Champagne told court in recalling their conversation. (Wolson is headed east to serve as lead commission counsel for the federal probe into former prime minister Brian Mulroney's business and financial dealings with lobbyist Karlheinz Schreiber)Champagne said he knew immediately that Wolson was joking and "doesn't believe for a second" there was any ulterior motive for it."I can assure all of you that remark has not influenced or impacted me in any way regarding this matter," said Champagne. Still, the judge said he's aware that there were hundreds of people at the conference -- including lawyers, judges and police officers -- and that he wanted to address the issue head-on."I am obliged to disclose these comments as there may have been a perceived, reasonable apprehension of bias," he said.Wolson, who is widely considered by his peers to be one of the most honourable and effective lawyers in Manitoba, was stunned."I'm quite taken aback because the last thing I'd ever do is influence a judge," he told court. "I'm shocked that would be a matter you would raise with us. The comments were not said for any purpose or advantage. I would never want to have a victory in the courts that isn't earned, on advocacy or evidence."Crown attorney Mick Makar said he had no concerns with the issue, saying Wolson has an "impeccable" reputation. He agreed with Wolson's suggestion that Champagne stay on the case and give his decision to avoid any further delays.Champagne took a few days to think it over, then returned to court Tuesday and decided he would stay on the case. No date has been set for Golden's sentencing decision.Here's my personal take on this. Then I want yours. Richard Wolson is a stand-up guy, as good as they come. I know a lot of members of the public believe defence lawyers have no morals, but that's unfair and inaccurate. They don't have to like the clients they represent - they just have to do a job, same as all of us. And Wolson is very good at his job, among the best. I'd hire him in a heartbeat if I ever needed good legal representation.Like Champagne, Makar and likely the rest of Manitoba's legal community, I don't believe Wolson had ulterior motives when he chatted up the judge. However, I do believe it was a mistake for Wolson to bring up the sentencing hearing in any way, shape or form. It was too fresh, and he knew Champagne hadn't yet made his decision.I applaud Champagne for bringing this matter into the public domain. I'm sure he could have just dealt with this privately, or not at all, and it would have just gone away. But Champagne recognized this was a sensitive issue and one that ought to be put on the record.I have known Champagne for many years, most of them as a Crown prosecutor, and believe he is truly honourable. I don't have a problem with him continuing to sit on the Golden case because I trust that he won't be influenced in any way by what's happened.If nothing else, at least this issue has shown the justice system can be an open and transparent one. And no doubt plenty of lawyers out there are re-evaluating what they might say the next time they cross paths with a judge at a cocktail party or convention.After all, it's a relatively small legal community out there and small talk is bound to happen. The trick is to avoid turning it into a big problem.What do you think? Should Champagne have recused himself, or is there no harm, no foul here? You can also vote in my latest website Jury Poll question by clicking HERE.Post your thoughts below.

  View Full Post | 8/10/2008 7:01 PM | 0

• Three cheers for common sense

  Finally, a "good news" story from a Canadian courtroom.Quebec Superior Court Judge Richard Mongeau has done the right thing this week and overturned a truly ludicrous lower court decision which would have seen a 18-year-old motorist stand trial in youth court for the death of a three-year-old girl -- even though he was legally an adult at the time of the incident.You read that right. An no, it doesn't make any sense.It was earlier this year that Quebec Court Judge Odette Perron came down with the bizarre ruling, which stemmed from an Oct. 31, 2007 incident that left Bianca Leduc dead.The motorist - who happened to be celebrating his 18th birthday that very day - is accused of driving on to the front lawn of a home daycare and running over the little girl while she was putting up Halloween decorations.He was charged with causing death by criminal negligence and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.The charges filed by the Crown referred to the tragic incident as occurring "on or about" Oct. 31 - a frequent legal term used in court documents.Amazingly, Perron ruled that "on or about" could mean the day of Oct. 31, the day before or the day after.She then claimed she had no choice but to give the 18-year-old the benefit of the doubt and send his case to youth court - even though everyone knew the crash happened on Oct. 31.Is it any wonder the Canadian public have so little faith in the justice system?The Crown appealed the ruling and got the decision overturned in the higher court this week.The young man now faces a maximum jail term of 14 years if convicted. While there's no chance he gets anywhere close to the max, a real jail sentence is a strong possibility. As a youth, he'd likely be looking at probation.His name still can't be published because his lawyer has 30 days to decide whether to challenge the ruling before the Quebec Court of Appeal.If that happens, let's hope that the common sense displayed this week by Judge Mongeau is contagious.www.mikeoncrime.com

  View Full Post | 3/10/2008 1:44 PM | 0

• The inmates truly are running the asylum

  He may have injured his thumb - but a convicted killer has also given the finger to Canada's justice system.Muri Peace Chilton, who is serving a life sentence for raping, killing and burning a 15-year-old Ontario girl while he was on parole for a horrific sex attack in Manitoba, has somehow won a mind-boggling lawsuit against the federal government.Chilton was awarded $2,500 in damages because a prison official laughed at him after he cut his thumb.The heartless murderer described the injury as “the most painful experience of his life,” and called the laughter that followed “beyond callousness” and damaging because he “felt utterly humiliated.”Chilton was injured in February 2000 while in the woodworking shop at Warkworth Institution, an Ontario prison. His left thumb became caught between two pieces of metal while using a router. Chilton said he heard “sadistic laughter” from the jail employee, who then joked about his injury for months.For those of you keeping score at home, Federal Court Justice Leonard S. Mandamin is the person who ruled in Chilton's favour.Does this make any sense to anyone? I thought these kind of ridiculous judgments only happened south of the border. At least we can take some solace in the fact Chilton actually won't pocket a penny. He just so happens to owe the government exactly $2,500 in legal fees spent on other motions he'd filed with the court but which were dismissed. (He was initially seeking $100,000 in damages)The mother of his murder victim, Heather Corey, called the lawsuit absurd.“He’s ridiculous. We never got any money from the government at all,” Mary O’Reilly told the National Post this week. “That would be a better use of money.”And to think Chilton has the gall to call this the most painful experience of his life.How about the pain he caused to his victims, beginning with the young Winnipeg woman he picked up hitchiking in January 1977, then held captive in his car, tried to run over, forced to the ground, raped, strippedand choked into unconsciousness before leaving in an isolated, icy field?Chilton was sentenced to 14 years in prison, but was released after serving just nine.While still serving the rest of his sentence in the community, Chilton befriended O’Reilly and raped her 15-year-old daughter in the basement of their townhouse before smothering her to death, pouring gas on the body and setting it ablaze.Funny, none of this was mentioned in Chilton's lawsuit, in which he went into great detail about his "suffering" as a result of losing almost 80 per cent of his nail.“The self-respect of [Chilton] and inherent dignity of [Chilton] as a person suffered greatly due to the laughter,” he wrote in his claim, according to the National Post report.“[I] went to the filthy utility sink and ran cold water over it in an effort to stop the pain and bleeding,” he said.Aww. Poor guy.Chilton said he had to walk to the infirmary “without gauze on it as the first aid kit for the shop was in the office, an area which is unauthorized to inmates and is up a long flight of stairs.” His fingernail took months to grow back and it continued to hurt, particularly if he put pressure on it.He claims the incident robbed him of the “pleasant and useful feature of not only his left thumb but his left hand, as the thumb is an integral member of the hand and without it the hand is severely handicapped.”Has the world gone mad? Or is this just more proof the inmates are truly running the asylum?www.mikeoncrime.com

  View Full Post | 2/10/2008 2:13 AM | 0

• Police try to ketchup with culprit, relish the thought of making an arrest, but investigation doesn't cut the mustard

  Hot dogs cause bomb scare outside Phillies baseball stadium PHILADELPHIA — After a bomb scare at the Philadelphia Phillies’ ballpark, authorities pointed the finger at a fuzzy green suspect — The Phillie Phanatic. Hours before the Phillies-Atlanta Braves’ game last night, a film crew shot a commercial of the mascot shooting heavily wrapped hot dogs from a launcher.But someone inadvertently left three of the duct taped hot dogs outside the ballpark, sparking security fears. Stadium employees were evacuated and the bomb squad was called in.Only after the packages were blown up did authorities realize they’d just exploded some sausages.“We saw something that looked suspicious,” said Michael Stiles, Phillies senior vice-president, administration and operations. “We did the right thing. It turned out to be nothing. We could have gone over and picked it up and thrown it in the trash and been done with it. But if we had been wrong, somebody might have lost an arm.”After the detonation, the game went on as scheduled. “I’d rather them blow up some hot dogs or some ketchup and mustard and relish than have it be a real bomb,” reliever Chad Durbin said. “Better safe than sorry.”

  View Full Post | 25/09/2008 10:32 PM | 0

• Close the loopholes before another child gets hurt

  The first jolt was finding out her 14-year-old daughter was having sex with a 34-year-old convicted felon who was being investigated for his role in a massive child pornography ring.The second was learning Manitoba's justice system would do nothing to help her break up the disturbing relationship.There's something seriously wrong with this picture.As we reported exclusively in the pages of the Free Press this week, a Winnipeg mother is furious that she was twice rejected in her attempts to get a court order that would prevent the man from coming anywhere near her daughter. (Click HERE for full story)It's hard to blame her after hearing her story.At the time of her first attempt this past March, the teen was refusing to listen to her mother and wouldn't stop seeing the guy.Short of chaining the girl to a bed, I'm not sure what more the mother could have done. She went to police, who told her the man was on their radar for kiddie porn and that she should go immediately to the courthouse to get a protection order.She did - armed with several letters she'd found which had been written by her daughter and a young friend and contained startling details about the relationship, including allegations the man had taken nude photos of the teen.Seems like a slam dunk to convince a magistrate, right?Wrong.Her application was dismissed on the grounds the mother had failed to prove her daughter was in "imminent danger." Since the girl was in a consenual relationship and Canada's age-of-consent at the time was an embarrasingly low 14, there was nothing illgeal about the love affair.And so it would continue.Months later, the mother finally convinced her daughter to get out. The teen was now expressing fear for her safety and felt the man would try and use the alleged nude pictures against her.They returned to court - and had the door slammed in their face again. They were basically given the same explanation - no imminent danger.Fortunately, police stepped in a short time later and arrested the man for posession of child pornography. The investigation is now ongoing into whether nude pictures of the teen do exist, which would constitute an offence under the Criminal Code.As we also reported Wednesday, they are also looking into a website the man is involved with that offers pictures of girls as young as seven dressed in skimpy clothes and in provocative clothing. The so-called "modeling" site is clearly intended for pedophiles, yet may not go far enough to be a crime as defined by Canadian law. (Click HERE for full story)See the trend here?Our justice system is filled with loopholes that serve only to protect the interests of perverts and predators and do little for children and their families.They need to be closed immediately.www.mikeoncrime.com

  View Full Post | 11/09/2008 4:47 PM | 0

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