Homolka stuff..

The Libertoons are having an internal fight over Karla Homolka.

Read their background discussion on S.810 first. Then come back here.

I have been struggling with this issue for about two weeks now. I have thought about more than any other recent political issue. There are four competing priorities that I've considered:

1. The right of the victims and their families. It is reasonable to assume that these people would like this child rapist to stay behind bars as long as possible. We must certainly consider their feelings on this issue. (This is why I am a proponent of allowing victim statements at parole board hearings.)

2. Protection of society. Is Homolka a psychopath who will kill/rape again? If so, the government has a basic duty to its citizens to ensure their protection from her.

3. Homolka's rights as a criminal. Now, I don't often consider such things but surely there are some rights bestowed upon even the worst criminals. (We would not advocate random tortures in our penal system for example.) So the question is does her rights as a criminal include being free to go about as she pleases once she has finished her sentence? My answer to this question was no.

So why do I think she should be freed without any restrictions?

Here is the fourth priority:

4. The people's word: Our government struck a deal with Homolka. It was a bad deal, but it was a deal nonetheless. For the sake of my friends in law school I will compare this to a contract. There is an offer (I will rat on my husband if you give a deal), there is acceptance (Crown's attorney's plea), and there is consideration (she did rat on her husband.)

It seems to be she held up her end of the bargain. We should hold up our end.

Lesson learned: don’t let a criminal get away with murder just because some socialist attorney general thinks she was an abused wife.