Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Irony apparently lost on lawyer

Regular Hells Angel lawyer Greg DelBigio is really stretching the bounds of credulity with his latest argument in defense of Ronaldo Lising.

Lising's latest arrest came in the Mountie's Project EPandora. DelBigio has been doing his level best to get the charges against his client tossed. And fair enough, that's his job. But, the irony of his latest tack seems lost on him.

Lising, incidently, is currently serving time for his conspiracy conviction arising out of VPD's Project Nova back in the mid - 90's. He was sentenced back in 2001 for his role in that case and fought his conviction and sentencing at every step until he finally ran out of legal options and had to go to jail.

It was while he was out on bail going thorough his legal gymnastics that he got caught up in EPandora. And now we hear DelBigio trying to get the charges tossed because he claims an agent used by the RCMP put the public in danger. The agent, Michael Plante, infiltrated the Hells Angels and in doing so had to commit crimes.

In closing arguments, DelBigio said, "The police were under a duty to ensure that the community was not endangered through Michael Plante's actions and yet the community was in danger."

Come on Greg. Are you serious? The agent has to commit crimes to get cosy with your client and his pals. What, pray tell, does that suggest about your clients?

The phrase "in defense of the indefensible" comes to mind.

Leo Knight
primetimecrime@gmail.com

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Gratuitious violence unnerving

For over 30 years that I've been around policing and crime news, I have become inured to violence and man's inhumanity to his fellow man. I don't like to think that I have become any less caring as a result, but certainly I don't get shocked, for the most part, by the violence inherent in our world today.

Even the daily horrors being described in the trial of Robert "Willy" Pickton haven't managed to shock me. Now, to be fair, we have known for years what to expect out of the Pickton trial just by being able to read between the lines with what has been published since he was arrested five years ago. With all the discussions about the finding of victim DNA we pretty much knew the likelihood of the type of details we are now hearing, so I'm not sure I understand what the current fuss is about in the debate over the way the media is reporting on the trial.

But, having said all of that, I've been following the trial in Edmonton of two men accused of killing 13 year old Nina Louise Courtepatte in the spring of 2005.

Courtepatte's broken, battered and abused body was found on the fourth fairway of the Edmonton Springs golf course in Spruce Grove, Alberta. The official cause of death was blunt force trauma. The autopsy report also noted she was sexually assaulted. Just from that depiction, we knew that nothing good happened that night on the golf course.

But, starting from the agreed upon Statement of Facts introduced on the first day of the trial last week and with each new day listening to new evidence from witnesses as the prosecution paints the picture of what happened to that poor girl, the true horror of her last moments on Earth is becoming known and has even shocked this cynical ex-cop.

The latest account given by a juvenile, female participant in the torture and killing of young Nina, was provided in a story that ran in the Edmonton Sun yesterday under the headline Diary of a Killing. It made my blood run cold.

We have seen many cases over the years where gratuitous teenaged violence has shocked, horrified and grabbed the attention of the nation's media. The tragic case of Reena Virk comes to mind. But, even as horrible as that whole episode was including the many trials of the truly evil Kelly Ellard, to me it doesn't rate for brutality, senseless violence and absolute disdain for human life demonstrated by the killers of Nina Courtepatte.

And for all that, what really surprises me is that the story, so far, has only been predominantly regional. For some reason the national media hasn't picked up on it in spite of the fact the victim was aboriginal which would ordinarily be a magnet. Certainly they are captivated by the trial of an alleged serial killer in Vancouver, but that still doesn't explain the lack of coverage to me.

Is it possible the media brains have decided that Canadians can only stomach so much gruesome news with their evening repast? Possibly, but I wouldn't give them that much credit.

Unfortunately, I believe the average Canadian needs to be shocked out of their stupor when it comes to screaming for something to be done about the crime problem in this country and the need for our politicians to actually get engaged in the debate about the real issues of crime and youth violence. The brutal, senseless killing of an innocent 13 year old girl on a golf course outside of Edmonton has the ability to shock Canadians out of that stupor. Unfortunately, the national media isn't paying attention.

Leo Knight
primetimecrime@gmail.com

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Flight path to Haiti blocked by liberal thinking

For a clear example about how screwed up this country is, look no further than the top two stories on today's Prime Time Crime.

The first story is from the Washington Post and tells of a new border security initiative from the Canadian government that will cost $368 million over five years. Well, that's great. Five years after September 11 and someone finally made a decision to improve the security on our porous border.

Yet, right under that good news story, there is a piece from the Globe & Mail that defies all logic.

Canada won't deport a hardened criminal, a gang-banger, pimp and all-around piece of dog crap because something bad "might" happen to him in Haiti. So, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day announces that we are going to invest in protecting our borders but we can't toss out an immigrant who has not led a productive life for a minute since he's been in this country? What's wrong with that picture?

As former Vancouver police officer Bob Cooper said, "What good does it do to spend millions of dollars on new fences and not fix the gaping holes in the existing ones?"

What good indeed?

The saga of Jean-Yves Brutus, a Haitian born immigrant in Montreal, epitomizes the problem with the wolly-headed thinking in this country. Brutus has been a member of a Haitian street gang in Montreal called Crack Down Posse. They engage in drug dealing, pimping, assaults and murder. Nice folks.

He has been back and forth through the revolving door of justice all of his adult life. Four years ago an Immigration and Refugee Board adjudicator finally told Brutus this country had had enough of him. But something calle a "pre-removal risk assessment" put an end to that idea.

Cooper teed off on the subject in an email to me earlier. I'd thought I'd share it with you.

Leo Knight
*****************************
Mr. Brutus has been given the opportunity of a lifetime, an opportunity that millions of less fortunate people the world over would risk life and limb for, but never attain. An opportunity to start life over again in a secure, peaceful country with boundless opportunities.

Does he count his blessings, change his ways and perhaps contribute to society by getting a job and paying taxes? Of course not. He leaves that sort of drudgery to suckers like us.

He makes his living off violent crime and the misery of others. He takes our daughters and turns them into whores so he can beat, rape and rob them.

In other words, he spits in Canada’s face and continues to do so every time he is arrested and allowed to stay here. We all stand there like typical liberal dopes, wipe the spit off our face and remind Mr. Brutus that the rules apply to him as well. He is admonished and told that if he keeps getting arrested then one day a judge will become very cross and perhaps send him to jail. Remote chance? Yes, but possible. He’s already learned that no matter what he does, we won’t send him back to Haiti.

Why? Because some reports say that those repatriated with criminal records are often mistreated. I rather suspect that just as often, if not more, they are not.

Given what I know of Haiti, the Jean-Yves Brutus’ of the world do quite well there. Granted, he would face more risks there over the long term than he would from our system here.

And guess what? I know this will sound politically incorrect, but I don’t give a rat’s ass. And you know what else? I’ll bet if Canadians were polled on this right now, the majority couldn’t give a rat’s ass either.

The only pre-removal risk assessment that should be required is a weather check on the flight path to Haiti.

Personally, I wouldn’t care if they blew Mr. Butus’ head off on the tarmac. I, for one, am tired of wiping the spit of the world’s criminals off my face while my taxes support them and pay for their lawyers.

This government has a lot of work to do and this would be a good place to start. And Mr. Day, if the government is a little short on the price of a one-way ticket to Haiti, I’d be glad to help out. Just let me know how much and where to send the cheque.

Bob Cooper.
Richmond, BC

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Server problems

Many of you may have noticed that the front page hasn't changed today. Well, that is because our soon to be ex-web hosting service has server problems and seems to feel that 24 hrs is a suitable time frame to have it fixed.

I apologize for their poor service and will endeavour to be back online as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued support.

Leo Knight
leo@primetimecrime.com

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Surprise over Israeli attack plans a surprise

The Sunday Times story about Israel having a plan to use low-yield nuclear devices against the Iranian nuclear production facilities generated headlines expressing horror around the world today. But really, wouldn't it surprise you more if Israel didn't have plans to eradicate Iran's nuclear production program?

The former terrorist who is now the President of Iran, has been crowing about their nuclear capability for months now. When he does that in the same breath as he vows the state of Israel should not exist, well, how would anyone expect Israel to react?

Born of war and depending on its ability to fight off those who would rather see its demise, Israel has long said it would take whatever steps it deemed necessary to ensure its survival as a nation state. If that includes a proactive nuclear strike, well then that is precisely what they will do. The only real surprise is that anyone seems shocked by the story.

The mullahs and their devotees have been spoiling for this fight for years. The rocket incursions by Hezbollah last summer were little more than a measuring stick to guage Israel's stomach for a fight and how the observing world would react. Predictably, the mainstream media, the Eurocrats and the UN fell all over themselves to condemn Israel for fighting back.

The mullahs are betting that Israel won't do anything like stage a preemptive attack on their nuclear facilities for fear of again suffering the withering condemnation of western intelligentsia.

I'm not sure I'd make that bet were I them. If nothing else, Israel has shown over the years that it is prepared to go it alone in their struggle to survive and they have the balls to do whatever it takes.

They will in this too.

Leo Knight
leo@primetimecrime.com