Another blow to the Greenspan-Gardner thesis that Canada is just so darn tough (and getting tougher!) on convicted criminals: a convicted murderer has walked away from "imprisonment" which is so laughably soft-touch that not even the guards can figure out why he bothered to escape.
He slept in a bedroom, not a cell, and the ground outside his prison
was free of walls and guard towers – in fact, there wasn't even a fence.
So why would Andrew John Wood, convicted of murder in the execution-style shooting death of a Toronto man in 1989, want to escape?
... A Frontenac employee who asked not to be named said the reason for the escape was not obvious to her.
"I really don't know why he left."
"I really don't know why he left."
Let's hope he wasn't mad at someone on the outside...
Since we're on the topic, Bob, today's fish wrap arrived on my door step, carrying yet another "Great Moments" story. Once you've read the column, you'll love the heading the London Free Press decided to run:
"Judge gets tough on street violence"
Here's the editor's idea of what a "judge getting tough on street violence," looks like:
"TORONTO -- A superior court judge condemned the rampant gun violence on city streets by imposing a 15-year prison sentence against a self-styled gangster who killed an unarmed man over an insult.
"Brazen shootings in public places used to be rare. Sadly, they are becoming commonplace," said Justice Robert Clark in sentencing Walid Almaktari for manslaughter in the Mother's Day 2005 slaying of Sasha Bailey outside a pizza restaurant.
"It's difficult to imagine a case closer to murder," he said. "Sasha Bailey was shot to death because Almaktari's pride had been injured. Almaktari was following the code that any insult to a self-styled gangster demands the ultimate retribution."
Clark ruled the killer would have to spend 5 1/2 years in prison before he could apply for parole.
Almaktari, 29, a Saudi-born refugee who came here from Yemen as a 12-year-old, was given four years credit for pretrial custody. He was found guilty of manslaughter after a jury acquitted him of first-degree murder two weeks ago.
Almaktari and his friend Rutal Hankey met Bailey outside the Pizza Pizza store and approached him about buying some pot, court heard.
An argument erupted. Almaktari's friends broke it up. But then, unknown to the others, Almaktari and Hankey got a gun and "hunted down Bailey," Clark said.
"This was a cowardly attack on a vulnerable victim. It was savage. Sasha Bailey was unarmed and preoccupied with Hankey. Bailey didn't realize Almaktari was concealing a firearm. He brooded and plotted his revenge and then shot him without warning with an illegal handgun," the judge said."
http://www.lfpress.ca/perl-bin/publish.cgi?x=articles&p=267825&s=hottopics
"It's difficult to imagine a case closer to murder," said the Tough Judge, who gave the not-quite-a-murderer a sentence that could well see him back on the streets after serving a total sentence of less than 10 years.
Of course, he could be out much, much sooner, now that there's a spare bed available at Frontenac Institution...
Posted by: Mike H | June 19, 2009 at 01:43 AM
The poor man had been deprived of "eat in" pizza...sure there was take out; but that is just not the same. Could happen to anyone.
Posted by: Jay Currie | June 22, 2009 at 04:13 AM
Well, here's another example from my hometown:
http://www.bracebridgeexaminer.com/article/131396
"“I take full responsibility for my actions,” he said. “I’ve learned a valuable lesson. I want to improve my life so I can see my kids again.”
Judge Evans reminded Bilissis that he said exactly the same thing when he was convicted of assaulting his girlfriend the first time."
Well, that's different, then. So, let's give him 2 for 1 credit, tack on a whopping extra two months (the max for the charge is "life"), and he's out on the same streets of his terrified ex-girlfriend in 8 months.
But, he, he got PROBATION too. Unfortunately, one of the charges was...violating probation. Yeah, that should work.
Dumbest thing the judge mentions: “It’s totally up to you whether you succeed or not".
Really? I thought at least some of it was up to...the judge?
Posted by: James Goneaux | June 24, 2009 at 01:03 AM