february 11th, 2007 - the capital punishment › why edmonton? › deadmonton › edmonton

On February 11th, 2007 the Edmonton Sun reported that a group of Calgarians planned to appear at the murder trial of Michael Briscoe and Joseph Laboucan as part of their effort to lobby the federal government to reinstate the death penalty.

Briscoe and Laboucan were charged with first-degree murder in the death of Nina Courtepatte.

The occasion marked the first instance in recent time that the issue of capital punishment was raised in connection with Edmonton's murder problem.

Interviewed by the Sun, Merle Terlesky said he represented a citizen group who felt that anyone capable of such a "horrendous" crime as Nina's murder should be punished accordingly.

“We're trying to draw some national attention to reigniting the debate on capital punishment,” Terlesky said while admitting no verdict had yet been made in the Courtepatte case.

“Is it in the interest of society at large to house [criminals] after committing such a heinous crime? I question if someone like that is rehabilitatable.”

While the death penalty might not deter people from committing such crimes, Terlesky suggested it could bring justice to the families of victim.

“We certainly welcome the Harper government's new initiatives on changes to the Young Offender's Act, but are judges going to carry through on the full sentences? That's a problem as well, even when the rules are there, the judges aren't enforcing it.”

Canada last executed persons convicted of murder, rape or treason on December 10th, 1962 when Arthur Lucas and Robert Turpin were hung in Toronto's Don Jail.

Arthur Lucas was convicted of the murders of Therland Crater and Carol Newman. A Detroit native, Lucas had driven to Toronto to execute Crater who was a material witness in a pending American narcotics trial. Newman was an unlucky bystander. It was reported by a Salvation Army chaplain that just before he died, Lucas was almost decapitated.

Ronald Turpin was convicted for the February 12th, 1962 murder of Metropolitan Toronto police constable Frederick Nash. When Turpin was told that he and Lucas would probably be the last people executed in Canada his reply was, "Some consolation."

After 1967 the death penalty applied only to the murder of a police or corrections officer, and by 1976 Canada had abolished capital punishment.

In 1987, a free vote regarding the reinstatement of the death penalty was held in the House of Commons. The result was a vote of 148 to 127 in favour maintaining the abolition.

For more about the death penalty in Canada, visit the Department of Justice, Capital Punishment in Canada web page.

The Sun contacted Gary Hunt, whose 16-year-old son Joshua Hunt was stabbed at a Mill Woods home on October 14th, 2006. Hunt said he was "50-50" on the death penalty.

"I believe in certain circumstances that [capital punishment] would be absolutely necessary," said Hunt.

In cases where it's clear a murder was planned, and that the killer is likely to kill again, Hunt told the Sun, a strong case could be made for capital punishment.

However, Hunt warned, "You don't want to do anything for revenge. Two wrongs don't make a right."

On February 12th Merle Terlesky and Jeff Willerton attended a session of the Briscoe-Laboucan trial.

Terlesky (left) said he was in shock after hearing some of the testimony of Nina's death.

“It was a particularly heinous murder of a very young girl,” said Terlesky.

The two Calgarians spoke to CTV Edmonton about their support of a death penalty during a break in the trial.

"We're not here today to decide the guilt or innocence of the men accused but we are here to say that in such a crime we think that perhaps capital punishment is the just sentence in this type of crime."

"It's heinous a young girl would have to die in such a way. Perhaps the Harper government needs to look at revisiting the issue," Terlesky said.

When asked if it was appropriate for the subject to be raised mid-trial and with young offenders involved, Willerton deflected the question.

"That's debatable and we're not again pre-supposing guilt of anyone."

"We feel the Liberals though have historically been soft on crime – they cancelled the death penalty in 1976."

"Without pre-supposing guilt, a heinous crime has been committed here and we believe the issue should be looked at."

"We want to encourage the Harper government to authorise a national referendum on the issue to coincide with the next federal election," Willerton said.

When one reporter suggested that wrongly convicted people, such as David Milgaard, would likely have been killed under capital punishment, Terlesky and Willerton said with advances in DNA testing there was little risk that someone would be put to death for crimes they didn't commit.

Both said they were comfortable with granting judges and politicians the right to take human life.

Also in appearance at the trial was a woman who wanted to revive the death penalty for pedophilia and set up a non-profit group to deter the crime.

Carrie Kohan, 43, became an activist against pedophilia in 1998 after learning her neighbour had been convicted three times of the offence and was eyeing her two-year-old daughter.

As a lobbyist, Kohan influenced the Alberta provincial government to create its sex offender registry and the Amber Alert system.

Kohan renewed her bid for capital punishment at the Courtepatte murder trial with a protest outside the courthouse.

"Why have none been charged with pedophilia?" Kohan wondered.

"What do police say to parents of kids in Grade 7 and 8? How can they explain that a kid was raped, but because she's not a baby or a young child – because she's so close to the age of consent [14] – it's not treated as a pedophile case?"

Kohan said she would join Merle Terlesky in calling for the deaths of the accused.

"We need stiffer laws to deter these sick people. Rehabilitation doesn't work. It' s like trying to teach someone to re-orient their sexuality. It can't be done."

Kohan said she was seeking volunteers – including a police officer, an accountant and a lawyer – to start a non-profit group similar to Mothers Against Drunk Driving. In the past the developmental group was known as Mad Mothers Against Pedophiles.

"I want to educate the public about the dangers of pedophiles and to change the laws so that serial offenders get fitting punishments, including death," Kohan said.

An Edmonton Sun news poll asked Edmontonians "Should capital punishment be reintroduced in Canada?"

86% responded Yes while 14% said No.

1609 voted on the one-day voluntary poll which allowed only one response per computer.

deadmonton - why edmonton? - the capital punishment issue

edmonton, alberta – the murder capital of canada