Latimer on Parole — Finally
| 2/28/2008 | Posted by Patti under Canadian News |
Robert Latimer was convicted in 1994 of killing his daughter who was born with severe cerebral palsy. Latimer claimed that his actions were a mercy killing, that he was sparing his daughter any more pain. The case sparked a debate about mercy killing across the country.
He was convicted of second degree murder with the jury recommending that her serve only one year instead of the minimum of ten called for under law. The judge granted a constitutional exemption and sentenced him to two year, a decision overturned by the Supreme Court of Canada, which applied the minimum ten year term. He was denied parole in December on the basis that he had not show ‘sufficient remorse’ for his actions.
In an unexpected move yesterday, the appeal division of the National Appeal Board overturned the decision and ordered Latimer’s release on day parole. In the last five years, there has been 2,500 appeals of board decisions and only nine have been overturned. Latimer has served about seven of the ten years that were ordered.
The order has sparked outcry from advocates for the disabled including the ever pompous ass, Micheal Coren. In his piece, he suggests that disabled youngsters across the country have been placed in danger because of Latimer’s release. It is fortuitous that he has provided this warning. We’ll likely learn that it was really Latimer who killed this youngster that the mother has been charged with the death of in Ontario.
Coren suggests that Latimer’s daughter, Tracey, wasn’t really suffering all that much and that Latimer did her in because he didn’t want to cope with her care any longer. You know, there could be a grain of truth in that in the darkest recesses in Latimer’s mind but that would be something that Latimer will have to struggle with. He’s steadfastly maintained that the death of his daughter was an act of mercy. Those who knew him and his daughter have steadfastly supported his claim.
I don’t know how I’d react or cope with bringing a severally disabled child into the world. Neither I nor the likes of Coren would truly know what it is to have the struggle of the day to day care of a child like that. It is a struggle at the best of times to raise a child, it would be monumental with a disabled child and the more severe, the harder it would be.
I would struggle with any consideration of committing a mercy killing. Hell, I struggled with putting my dog down when she was suffering with cancer and that is considered appropriate to do. I can’t sit in judgement of Latimer. I do know that other disabled youngsters are not in danger because Latimer has served his time and is being released. Coren needs to get a grip.
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