The ReeveLaw Blog

I’m certainly not opposed to well thought out and skillfully negotiated pleas of guilty and joint submissions as to sentence however almost every person charged with this offence goes through that social stigmatization of shame but in addition this officer “flagrantly abused the trust placed in him as a public officer” and defrauded his employer. By not pleading to a child pornography charge he avoids a 1 year mandatory minimum jail sentence and avoids being registered as a sex offender for 20 years.

Former detective Craig Wattier pleaded guilty to fraud over $5,000 and breach of trust.

Source: Peel cop billed for overtime while watching child porn videos | Toronto Star

MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES – Finally there is hope that balance will be returned to the system by restoring a Judge’s discretion to consider the particular circumstances of the offence and the offender.

The federal justice minister says the work has already begun to eliminate many of the Criminal Code’s mandatory minimum sentences.

Source: Liberals looking to eliminate many mandatory minimum sentences, justice minister says

Let us not jump to a knee-jerk conclusion that every allegation made to the police is true. Police screening is the first step of the criminal justice process. A police officer has to have reasonable grounds to believe an offence was committed before laying a charge. If a complaint is not believable, for whatever reason, the obligation of the police is to not act on it.

Ralph Goodale made the request on Tuesday, as three major police forces launched reviews into their handling of sexual-assault complaints

Source: Public Safety Minister Goodale calls for review of sexual-assault cases across Canada

I’ll give credit once so I don’t have to do it every time. Check out mugdom.com. They have a lot of amusing mugs.

Nationally, 1 in 5 cases of sexual assault is dismissed as unfounded – how police describe what they deem as baseless accusations – with rates varying drastically depending on where you live

Source: Will police believe you? Find your region’s unfounded sex assault rate – The Globe and Mail

https://www.facebook.com/HobsonReeve/posts/1290672874312762?notif_t=feedback_reaction_generic&notif_id=1486330122381434

I know there are all sorts of commentaries out there about what’s going on but this is an interesting, thoughtful analysis I found of interest. For example “These executive orders are nothing more than cheap political theatre. They are certainly not based on evidence. What they do is successfully divide the public through fear and incitement.”

Donald Trump’s executive orders are nothing more than cheap political theatre – they are certainly not based on evidence

Source: We need more facts, less extreme vetting – The Globe and Mail

 “An officer who conducts him or herself reasonably has nothing to fear from an audio, video or photographic record of his interaction with the public,” wrote the hearing officer, York police Supt. Graeme Turl, in his decision finding the pair guilty of misconduct.

Two York police officers were found guilty of misconduct for charging a 17-year-old who was filming them.

Source: York Region cops appeal guilty verdicts over video incident | Toronto Star

WEBCAMS IN THE COURTROOM? Should we have them? Why not? Would you like your trial and your testimony broadcast online?

“Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.” So declared Louis Brandeis over a century ago. Brandeis’ argument was that shining a light on activities both exposed wrongdoing as well as deterred it. The second part of his quote is that “electri

Source: Time for Webcams in the Courtroom? The Imperative of Transparency and Accountability – Slaw

I know it seems shocking at first but one has to wonder, what will happen here if we push our concept of zero tolerance too far?

A yearlong fight to enforce more legal protection for victims of domestic abuse took a step back this week in Moscow. The State Duma, Russia’s parliament, voted to roll back a law that made domestic abuse a criminal offence.

Source: Domestic violence penalties rolled back in Russia – World – CBC News