And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
ANGLICAN MINISTER'S WIFE MURDERED, NATIVE MAN CHARGED
Murder suspect in court
WebPosted: 9/21/99 At: 3:10:16 PM Thunder Bay Source
Murder charges have been laid against a Thunder Bay man in
connection with the death of a city woman. OPP arrested 31-year-old
Kenneth Delbert Quewezance Monday after police discovered the
body of Merle Brown in her south side S. Archibald St. home. [police
were called to the residence at 6am] There are now indications Brown's
husband was also a victim in the incident. Police have confirmed the murder
victim as 61-year-old Merle Brown, wife of Rev. Robert Brown [honourary
minister St. Paul's Anglican Church across from McKellar Hospital]. Deputy
Police Chief Bob Herman says despite a post mortem, investigators can't yet
determine the exact cause of death. But he says they do have enough
information to lay numerous charges against a 31-year-old city man.
Quewezance covered his face to the media as he made his first appearance in
provincial court Tuesday. Herman says there is no indication anyone else
was involved in Brown's death. However, it appears she wasn't the only one
home around the time of the murder. Information released by police Tuesday
indicates Quewezance had recently taken up residence on N. Archibald St.,
just a few blocks up from the Brown home and he did know the victim.
Further forensic testing into the cause of death is expected to be complete
in 4-8 weeks. [part-time coroner Dr. Steve Klassen refused comment when
cornered by reporters outside the home] Quewezance will be back in court
on Friday.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NATHAN PELLETIER
Wednesday, September 22, 1999
Killing called a thrill
'He said that he had finally done what he had been
thinking about'
By KEVIN MARTIN, CALGARY SUN
Samantha Brunet was slain for the thrill it brought her cross-dressing
step-brother, a Calgary court was told yesterday. And accused murderer
Nathan Pelletier, 18, talked of a plot to kill
his entire family by dousing them in gasoline and setting them
ablaze. Winnipeg youth worker Christine Brandt said she spoke to Pelletier
by phone just hours after he was found clad in women's clothes near his
dying and bloodied step-sister. "He said that he had finally done what he
had been thinking about, or dreaming about -- that he had used a knife,"
Brandt testified. "He said that he had gotten a thrill out of doing it."
Pelletier is charged with first-degree murder in the Jan. 13, 1998, slaying
of Brunet, 12, who was repeatedly stabbed in their northeast home. Brandt,
a youth worker who dealt with Pelletier in Winnipeg, said the accused
entertained thoughts of killing his entire family.
Pelletier, then just 16, was living with Brunet, her mom, his dad,
and a younger half-sister after moving to Calgary months earlier.
"He talked about having weird thoughts and dreams," Brandt told
lead Crown prosecutor Beth Miller. "His dad thought he was playing games
when he talked about these voices," she said. "The night before he thought
about pouring gasoline on the family and burning them." Brandt said she
received a phone call from Calgary homicide Det. Robin Greenwood about 9:30
p.m. Jan. 13. Greenwood then put Pelletier on the line. She said Pelletier
confessed his plan initially was to commit suicide after carrying out his
homicidal plot. "He did mention he did originally also plan to kill
himself, but he got no thrill out of doing it," she said. "He spoke about
the whole family and himself." Pelletier's hearing was adjourned
prematurely yesterday when defence lawyer Alain Hepner, after a break in
Brandt's testimony, told Justice Sandy Park his client couldn't continue.
Miller told Park the accused will be assessed by a doctor before court this
morning. "It may not be a medical doctor (who looks at him) but it will be
someone who's in a position to make an assessment," Miller said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PRECEDENT SETTING CHARGE IN CANADA, CHILD DEATH
Wednesday, September 22, 1999
Parents try to avoid attention
By TONY BLAIS, Sun Media
EDMONTON -- An upset Edmonton couple who are charged in their
five-year-old son's death tried to avoid the spotlight after making a brief
court appearance yesterday. And the lawyer representing Robert Shaw, 42,
and Starlene Gibson, 34, said the possibly unprecedented case could have an
impact on parents across Canada. Shaw and his ex-wife are charged with
criminal negligence causing death after their son, Leslie Shaw, was killed
by a cable TV van while riding his bike near their home on Aug. 17. Gibson
cried throughout most of yesterday's short court appearance. The case was
put over until Oct. 6 for election and plea, and the couple spent almost
the entire morning holed up in the courthouse cafeteria to avoid TV cameras.
Shaw did tell reporters he is unhappy with the charges and again
disputed the fact that police say the parents were warned more
than once about not letting their kids play outside alone. "I don't agree
with them," said Shaw, adding he was living in Mill Woods at the time of
the death, but is now staying at the apartment where Gibson lived with the
children near 107 Ave. and 105 St. "I am now consoling my ex because of all
the stress. I don't want her doing anything stupid," explained Shaw, who
said he is a construction worker. Two of their remaining three children
were taken away Friday. He refused to say where a 10-year-old daughter is
living.
Outside court, defence lawyer Doug Vigen said he was puzzled by
the charges and called them unusual. "They're the ones who suffered the
loss and then to be charged without really doing anything in the sense of
any criminal activity... it's quite a stretch to lay a charge like that."
Vigen said the case could lead to the courts having to draw the line as to
how far the responsibility of parents extends.
WATCH THESE CASES AND COMPARE TO ABOVE:
Wednesday, September 22, 1999
Dad runs over baby
By CP
LETHBRIDGE -- A six-month old girl accidentally run over by
her father after the family attended church services remained in
critical condition in Calgary Children's Hospital yesterday.
City police Staff Sgt. Larry Hopkins said the infant was airlifted
from Lethbridge on life-support shortly after Sunday's accident.
Her status is not good, he added. "The extent of the damages won't be known
for some time," Hopkins said. "Her skull was crushed." The incident is
still under investigation by city police, he said.
The baby, who was resting in a car seat, was knocked onto her
head after her parents apparently forgot they'd set the child down
in the church parking lot while they were loading their other
children into the vehicle. Police said the baby's 39-year-old father, who
has not been identified, set the tot down near the right front wheel. The
baby, who wasn't secured inside the car seat, was knocked onto her head
when her father was backing out of the parking stall and struck the seat
with the front wheels of the car.
Wednesday, September 22, 1999
Mom found guilty in tot's wild ride
By CP
PRESCOTT -- A mother who sped down a road with her terrified
four-year-old daughter clinging to the car's bumper was convicted
yesterday of endangering the child's life, impaired and dangerous
driving. Court heard the 28-year-old North Grenville woman ran a stop sign
as she pulled onto a county road at high speed last December with her
little girl clutching a broken windshield wiper on the back window. Her car
narrowly missed an oncoming school bus as she swung onto the opposite side
of the roadway before swinging back
to the right. Charles Cantin, who was driving behind the woman, testified
he managed to stop the woman's car, grabbed her car keys and then comforted
the girl, who was dressed only in pants and a T-shirt. He said tears were
frozen on her face. Judge Peter Griffiths acquitted her of two other
charges of abandoning her other children, aged 5 and 7, who were left at
her home. All three children are in their father's custody. The woman will
be sentenced Dec. 1.
EDMONTON POLICE CHIEF, INVESTIGATION, LINKS TO BIKER GANGS
Wednesday, September 22, 1999
Rail at the chief: Mason
Councillor charges police are slipping
By MARK COOPER, EDMONTON SUN
The Edmonton Police Service has slipped considerably under the
leadership of Chief John Lindsay, city Coun. Brian Mason charged
yesterday. A sharp turn away from community policing and the apparent
reliance on more aggressive tactics mean the service can no longer call
itself one of the best in North America, Mason said.
"We have seen a wholesale retreat from community policing and
we now see a much greater emphasis on American-style knocking
heads and throwin'-on-the-cuffs kind of policing," Mason said
yesterday. "We've seen an emphasis on the elaborate technology as a
solution to crime problems," he said, referring partly to cops' decision to
test out Taser stun-guns. Mason said that even the dark shirts police
officers are wearing now represent intimidation.
"It's more symbolic than anything, but symbolic of a direction I
don't think Edmontonians want to go." Mason also contends the Edmonton
Police Commission hasn't done enough to keep the police force in check.
"What we've seen is a real failure of the police commission to essentially
get control over the situation."
But Coun. Robert Noce, who has been critical of Chief Lindsay's
methodology in dealing with the city's gang problem, yesterday
defended the chief and the service. "I've always been impressed with Chief
Lindsay," said Noce. "He's a very intelligent man. I still support the
chief. I may not agree with him on every issue but I think that kind of
debate is healthy in the community." Noce also noted Lindsay is a staunch
supporter of community policing and has been bogged down by the gang
problem and allegations by two police officers that are currently being
investigated by the RCMP.
Yesterday, during a quarterly meeting between council and the
police commission, some councillors expressed concern over
strained relations between council and the commission, confirmed
Coun. Bryan Anderson. But Anderson said the meeting was positive and dealt
with ways to remedy the communication problem that he believes came about
because of the stress of the RCMP investigation. "This is an extraordinary
circumstance," said Anderson. "Both groups, council and the police
commission are on record saying this is an extraordinary environment and we
can't let it colour the way we are approaching things." The one-year
appointment of the voluntary members of the police commission is up for
renewal. However, a few councillors have expressed the desire to interview
both chairman Bob Dean and other members before they're put in place for
another term.
Wednesday, September 22, 1999
City needs anti-gang unit: Vancouver cop
By DOUG BEAZLEY, LEGISLATURE BUREAU
Edmonton ought to look at striking a permanent anti-gang police
unit, a Vancouver cop said yesterday. "Gangs involve a different class of
criminal, and you have to work to keep up," said Sgt. Brad Parker of the
Vancouver police anti-gang unit. A representative of Parker's unit is in
town this week for the four-day Canadian Congress on Criminal Justice,
which starts today. Cops and legal professionals will get together for a
special workshop on gang violence Friday afternoon. The Edmonton Police
Service responded to the city's escalating gang violence recently by
setting up a temporary anti-gang task force. Parker said what a large city
really needs to fight gang violence is long-term intelligence gathering.
"You need to know who's who constantly, because there are always new people
coming up through the ranks," he said. And once police put names to faces,
said Parker, they can move to what's known as "targeted enforcement" -
basically legal harassment to interrupt the flow of gang business. "Say one
of the key people in a gang is involved in an assault," he said. "You can
get a restraining order preventing him from associating with other gang
members. "That makes it harder for him to do business. "It slows them down,
and makes it easier for us to gain ground."
"Let Us Consider The Human Brain As
A Very Complex Photographic Plate"
1957 G.H. Estabrooks
www.angelfire.com/mn/mcap/bc.html
FOR K A R E N #01182
who died fighting 4/23/99
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.aches-mc.org
807-622-5407
