Justin Bourque’s videotaped confession to murdering three RCMP officers and an audio clip of a wounded officer screaming for help after she was shot are among more than 100 pieces of evidence that must be made public, a New Brunswick judge has ordered.
David Smith, the Chief Justice of Court of Queen’s Bench of New Brunswick, wrote in his decision Friday that “there is no evidence submitted by the Crown or counsel for the Defence which would demonstrate that it is in the interest of the administration of justice to ban the video of the offender’s confession or to ban the exhibits ….”
New Brunswick Crown prosecutors and Mr. Bourque’s defence counsel, David Lutz, had tried to suppress certain pieces of evidence used during the 24-year-old Moncton man’s sentencing hearing in October, including the four-hour taped confession, arguing it could cause harm to the community.
The Globe and Mail was part of a media consortium, including CTV, the CBC, The Canadian Press, Global News and New Brunswick News, that successfully fought the suppression of the evidence.
Media lawyer David Coles argued last month, during a day-long hearing, that the “norm” is that the court is open, and it is up to the Crown and Mr. Lutz to persuade the judge that the principle of an open court and the Charter right to freedom of the press needs to be diminished. “That burden is a substantial one,” Mr. Coles wrote in his brief to the court.
Last June, Mr. Bourque terrorized the New Brunswick city for more than a day: Dressed in camouflage and heavily armed, he went on a shooting rampage that left the three officers dead and two others wounded.
He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without being eligible for parole for 75 years. It is the harshest sentence in Canada since the 1960’s when the death penalty was still in use.
After his sentence, the Crown said it wanted to keep certain pieces of evidence out of the public view, although they had been shown in an open court. The video confession is chilling, with Mr. Bourque describing in detail how he killed the RCMP officers, and that he specifically targeted police officers and not civilians.
The Crown asked that items, including a photo of the “duty shirt” worn by Constable Fabrice Gevaudan, be kept private because it had his blood on it. In addition, the Crown asked that a photo of his “duty vest” at the location where other officers were performing CPR on him be kept from the public.
The Crown also wanted to keep out of the public arena various transmissions from police radios, including what is described in court documents as “Audio of Cst. Darlene Goguen saying that she’s been shot in the head and she is heard screaming.” Or, “Audio of Cst. Dave Ross is saying that he has eyes on Justin Bourque and is about to take him down.” Constable Ross was killed by Mr. Bourque. Mr. Coles said Friday that the judge’s order is “affirmation that the court recognizes the public has a right to see the exhibits upon which it considers when it makes its decision.”
“If that is to be denied and the exhibits are to be sealed there really has to be significant evidence that releasing them is going to jeopardize the administration of justice and mere personal preferences and understandable personal desire not to see these exhibits or to hear about them anymore is enough,” he said. “People have to be able to review this material in order to decide whether the courts are functioning properly.”
Commentary by the Ottawa Mens Centre
Justice David Smith made what appears to be a text book decision regarding
disclosure. The reality is across Canada, Judges adopt a Political Lens. Their
first consideration is,
"Is this a case that will be subject to public scrutiny"
"Is this a case that might be embarrassing upon appeal"?
They then move on to planing their decision that revolves around the Illegal
principle of "The process of Justification" and, even, Fabricating Evidence to
support their own conclusions when no evidence exists.
This case has blown the pendulum to the far side of the moon. The Defence was
given the entire disclosure requested.
That does not concur with what is happening in Court Rooms across Canada.
In Ottawa, the Ottawa Police Fabricate Evidence to support their own charges,
then FAIL to provide disclosure of the most basic of Stinchcombe disclosure
obligations.
Judges habitually, turn a blind eye to Contempt of Court Orders for Police to
provide disclosure.
You see, when a Judge makes an order for disclosure, Police in Canada,
especially the Ottawa Police and the Ottawa Crown Attorneys think its a joke,
they believe and know that they do not have to comply with such orders as there
is NEVER a single person who can be found in contempt.
What Judge is going to issue a criminal charge of contempt against an entire
police force?
Justin Bourque went on a mad rampage of killing innocent human beings because he
believed Canada is a Corrupt Country.
Justin Bourgue was correct regarding Canada being a Corrupt Country and Public
officials everywhere who engage in self serving Criminal offences without any
accountability hold some responsibility when a mad man goes on a killing spree.
When Police like Det. Peter Van Der Zander of the Ottawa Police engage in
outright Fabrication of evidence and or obstruction of Justice, it breeds a
disrespect for police.
Every police officer in every jurisdiction, Every Judge, every prosecutor, every
person in Public Authority at present, turns a deliberate blind eye to Criminal
offences committed by Police.
While such an insane head in the sand attitude prevails, it will do nothing to
reduce the tragic and needless deaths of police who most probably never lowered
themselves to the conduct that is systematically encouraged in Canada.
The underlying root cause of Canada's dysfunctional and corrupt legal system is
an escalating lack of accountability, and the Government's general systematic
appointment to the Judiciary.
Justice David Smith has made a legal decision rather than a political decision
which will be offensive to many who have an unfounded absolute faith that those
charged with criminal offences must be guilty.
Just as Police Fabricate evidence to Justify their own Criminal intentions,
Justin Borque justified his murder of innocent police on the Corrupt nature of
Canada.
Every Canadian has an obligation to hold Criminals accountable be they police or
mass murderers.
Ottawa Mens Centre