There is currently a trial underway in Toronto to determine the guilt or innocence of a man charged with first degree murder in the killing of police officer Sgt Ryan Russell. I will not use the name of the accused because he’s had enough publicity. Both the Crown and defence agree the man was driving a snowplow when it hit and killed the officer. What is at question is the man’s mental state at the time he stole that snowplow and went on a rampage that, at one point included crashing the front window of a Ferrari dealership.
The Crown naturally feels the accused was fully aware of what he was doing. From the video from the dashcam in the police cruiser, I personally believe the accused deliberately turned that plow around and aimed at the cruiser. But I’m not involved in the case, just stating my opinion based on broadcast footage. The defence is claiming diminished capacity and claims their client was not criminally responsible.
This case should be going to the jury about the time I write this.
There’s the Reader’s Digest version of the case. Yesterday one of the Toronto talk radio stations, CFRB, also known as Newstalk 1010, had a panel of lawyers and legal experts discussing the term “not criminally responsible”.
Rob Ford, the Mayor of Toronto, or at least that portion of Toronto that likes football and subways and isn’t gay, phoned that talk show and once again demonstrated his inability to grasp a situation. First off, the mayor making public comments on a case currently before the courts seems, at best a lack of common sense, at worst bizarre. The lawyers said Robbie also appeared to have no understanding at all of “not criminally responsible” or what it meant. So it would seem that once again Hizzoner has managed to make himself appear an ass.
Another “smh” moment happened Saturday night north of Toronto. A young man was stopped for doing 65 in a 50 zone (mph). A breathalyzer showed he was impaired, which means an automatic seizure of vehicle. His mother was called to pick him up. When she arrived at the police station, the officer at the desk smelled alcohol on her breath and administered a breathalyzer. She too was impaired and had her car impounded for 90 days. The questions that come to my mind on this are these: is she naturally stupid, or had the alcohol so impaired her judgement she didn’t have the sense to call a cab?
Enjoy your week,
Cat.
Catseyeview 