International Law

The beat goes on

As expected, British Columbia’s Attornery General Wally Oppal today announced that the Crown will be appealing Robert William Pickton’s second-degree murder convictions.

Pickton (the CBC has a good backgrounder, and he even has his own Wikipedia page), is now 58 years old, and was convicted on six counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 25 years (the maximum under the law).

This would mean he would be 83 before he was eligible for parole. And even Attorney General Oppal has said that “it will be very unlikely Pickton could convince a parole board to release him.” In addition, Pickton still faces murder charges in connection with the deaths of 20 other women.

So why continue to drag out what will, whenever it’s all over, likely be the most expensive trial in Canadian history?

The main reason given by Oppal for the appeal is that he feels Pickton should have been convicted of first-degree murder. Well, so does everybody else. But who cares? The real reason is apparently tactical: If the defence appeals (and I don’t know if that’s going ahead), and a retrial is allowed, that trial would be based on second-degree murder ? not the original first-degree murder charges. Which would make how much practical difference, really? Hasn’t this gone on long enough? Maybe Oppal is correct in being prudent, but it looks bad on the justice system.

Upon further review: More on the appeal from the Toronto Star. Family members can’t figure out what the point is. Oppal says it’s a strategic move. University of British Columbia law professor Isabel Grant calls it inevitable.

Full post as published by Criminal Review on January 07, 2008 (boomark / email).