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Legal system in disrepute

Editor: Re: Sentence fails public, police, Aug. 9 column.

Editor:

Re: Sentence fails public, police, Aug. 9 column.

The story behind this column is disturbing on several counts:

Citizens pay taxes to support a system of laws, policing and judicial process, primarily I would hope, to protect public safety, property and private property. This finding and sentence are a disgraceful inadequacy.

Orion Hutchinson was killed by a criminal act. There is no finding that reflects this. This is an insult, not only to his family but to all innocent citizens.

Former officer Monty Robinson was convicted of obstruction of justice, a justice that he was sworn to protect. This is an insult, I believe, to the overwhelming majority of officers who do protect justice.

His sentence was apparently lighter because he is of native extraction. In spite of the recent Supreme Court of Canada finding, it is my view this is a racist reason. It is, I believe, an insult to the overwhelming majority of native people who don’t find the need to commit heinous crimes.

The fact that he faces perjury charges in the Robert Dziekanski Tasering death is particularly troubling. I have always felt a little sympathy for the RCMP officers involved, as I felt they had possibly been put in an untenable position and had become fall guys. After this story, my reaction is that they should probably all be ‘fried.’

And therein lies another problem.

The once-proud scarlet-tunicked RCMP is facing some very negative media currently. From these two stories, they look like they deserve it.

If the RCMP cannot rid itself of gangsters and criminals and others unfit to wear the uniform, sooner or later society is going to find a way to rid itself of the RCMP.

It is my view that the laws, police and judiciary need to shape up if they wish to regain their respect.

Bob Holden, White Rock