It is now the fifth anniversary of the massacre at Mayerthorpe. My sincere condolences to the families of the deceased members. It was a terrible tragedy.

That having been said, I read the comments of Sarah from the Yukon and decided to revisit the Fifth Estate's story Collateral Damage. I didn't feel that Mr.McIntyre put words in anyone's mouth. In fact, he posed questions that we all were asking. I then revisited the so-called Statement of Facts which as I said before, reads like a novel as opposed to facts.

Everytime I go over the information we have received, I find myself with more questions. This time....the sheet that was found with the glove (which held DNA from Shawn)and the pepper spray, etc. Where did this sheet come from? Do the police think he used it that night to blend in with the snow? Was any forensic work done on that sheet? Was it determined that the pillow case, gloves were the ones provided by Hennessey that night? If so, did Hennessey provide the sheet? No mention of a sheet was made during Dennis' "confession" even though he admitted to providing the gloves and the pillow case. So where did this sheet come from? How much information did the RCMP glean from Mrs. Fifield about that night. She purportedly watched the farm all night...why? Did she try and reach Roszko after midnight? Why not? Seems odd to me that all phone calls stopped around midnight. Wouldn't she have been curious as to what her son was doing or where he was staying. She was totally aware of the activity and that he was trying to hide the car. So my question is why isn't she sitting on that moral culpability ladder the Judge is so fond of?

We know that Shawn wasn't completely honest about this whole situation, that he dealt, albeit smalltime, in drugs...if he was the 'drug dealer' a lot of folks seem to want to harp on about, wouldn't more people, i.e. local RCMP, be aware of that? All of the things he did (and those he didn't do) do not add up to a murderer. He is perhaps no saint, but neither is he a premeditated killer.

Given the cost of defending even small and petty crimes, I can fully understand the financial pressure this family were undergoing. Being offered a deal that was backed by their own lawyers, despite their personal misgivings, may have seemed to be the thing to do. After all, they did give the man a rifle and ride.

They really should sue the lawyers who allowed themselves to be convinced they wouldn't win this case.

I am waiting to hear about the appeal of the sentencing and I hope it is favorable. That is not to take away from the losses of the families but surely even they must wonder ..... are we really serving justice this way.

The RCMP need to answer a few questions... why did you enter the property on a civil matter when you knew the vehicle in question had left the property; why spend all that time during the night emptying the hut of items that weren't going anywhere when you could have been looking for Roszko; why weren't the Quonset hut doors closed and padlocked; isn't a Mr. Big Sting operation more to corroborate information you already know instead of coercing evidence. Perhaps one day we will get the answers.

I was extremely disappointed in the biased journalism I witnessed today while watching a rerun of this episode of The Fifth Estate. Linden MacIntyre put words into the mouths of the Hennessey's such as "Do you think they were looking for someone to blame?", referring to the RCMP. I call this being accountable, so please let's have some respect for the job that is done. Four members died that day, and countless members of their families will never be the same, and yet I had to hear constant whining throughout the show by this man who was portrayed as some kind of wonder boy, a former boxer etc., meanwhile he was selling dope.

I observed this couple in their simplicity being portrayed as victims when really they could say just about anything after the fact. Is James Roszko going to back up or challenge their stories of fear when he went to their home that day? Oh, that's right, he can't - how convenient. Why didn't they call the police if they were so scared? Oh, that's right, it's because they were dealing drugs. Why wasn't Shawn Hennessey thinking about the good of his family while engaging in that behaviour? You can't groom the circumstances to fit your need and yet that's what they tried to do in this documentary and Linden MacIntyre played it up and it resulted in a biased piece.

As for the sting operation, if Shawn had an inkling that police officers were working undercover, why didn't he tell his brother-in-law. Oh, again, he is someone who doesn't want to get involved, just like he didn't want to get involved on the night he gave a lunatic guns to either shoot a bear, or blow up gas tanks to burn a grow op. His tears and sad face meaning nothing to me and it's a little too late for this.

The RCMP use methods to get the job done and they are kept quiet in the interest of preserving an investigation. If Cheeseman had nothing to hide, he wouldn't have been caught in this mess. I would love to know if it was a family member of any of the people commenting above that had been gunned down, if they would be so generous in their excuses for these two accused?

I usually enjoy The Fifth Estate, but after having watched this episode and having followed the facts of this case for the last 5 years, I realize how this interview was conducted to fit the outcome that Linden MacIntyre wanted. How convenient..and what shoddy journalism. Shame on CBC!

Now its time for a public investigation into what really happened in Mayerthorpe.The conviction appeal has been dropped so there should be no more excuses to keep the truth hidden from us taxpaying canadians any longer.Bring on the truth with an inquiry that the mounties have no control of.I believe we will be shocked at what we hear.

To Dieter,
My point was simply that mcIntyre was leading him - elbow, elbow, you're supposed to say this - . For those of you still trying to find out what's going on with the appeal, I'm quite sure the convicted dropped it. I believe I may have found that information from a reputable source as opposed to a duscussion panel for a tabloid. Well, for many of you, I have exhausted your attention span, and your penchant for seeking disconfirming evidence is nonexistent, so adieu.

Alien, it was interesting to read your remarks.Thank you. It is important to know that not only is Shawn's father behind him 100% percent, but his mother, wife Christine, and hundreds of friends and family are also behind him at all times.
Loved your comment about "Mr. Big Stink", hadn't thought of that before but it certainly applies - if that is the quality of all of our RCMP, then we are in big trouble, but thankfully that is not the case.
To Marc Leger - you must also realize that there are many things that the RCMP doesn't want revealed, along with some shocking events-but they will come out. My question is still, why after well over four years has there still not been a public investigation into the actions of the RCMP and the handling of some things that happened in Mayerthorpe.
While you may work within the justice system, there are people who do plead gulty to charges for many reasons, and this is definitely one of those cases. I know this for a fact, Shawn was lead down the garden path by his lawyer.
Karen keep up your interest.
Have a Happy Christmas and everyone please stay safe.

Had to come back and see if anything had changed. As many others, we must continue to wait while 2 young men waste in a cage, guilty of association. I would like to take off my hat for the father of one of the 2 accused for being there for his son, I hope you realize how important it is for a young man to have the backing of his own father, something that I do not have, without you, your son is alone, and I have the most outmost respect for you, SIR. So now 2 years later, I read about possible reopenning of their case, new lawyers, sorry about this but I have a really bad taste in my mouth when ever we must put our faith in another person, who calls himself a lawyer, and this because of personal reasons. But these 2 men deserve the best of the best, anything less will only be for not. I would also like to send a personal hello to those who have been here and added their constant views, to enlighten us all. One for sure is Karen, but many more must be congradulated. As for anon, 2 words, stay anon. I am one who always believes that there are 2 sides of any story, but over time this story has way more than only these 2 sides, including Mr. Big Stink, (that K was intentional), and all the other variables that must be taken into account in this formula, that added up to 12 and 15 years. I can only hope that these 2 men can read these comments and realize that they are not alone and many many Canadians are hoping the best for yous. I only ask of you 2, to keep your chins up, and do not give up on yourselves, especially in this time of year, where family is of the utmost importance. On a final note, I would really like to see someone who holds some power of influence, to stand up and be heard, to make a change in a positive way. All of us normal citizens need a politican to stand up for us all, cause we are all not safe from this kind of disjustice. So my final words are. Injustice in Justice

To: M. Leger.

Thank you for your comments. However, if the evidence you say the RCMP cannot reveal is so defining, why was the charge changed to manslaughter? In the recent case in Hay River, the Crown refused to accept a lesser charge of manslaughter in the death of the young member there as they had enough evidence to convict. Surely if the Crown was convinced there was enough evidence to secure a conviction of first degree murder, they would in no way accept a lesser charge. The very fact that they accepted a guilty plea to manslaughter speaks volumes. Not to mention, the Crown Prosecutor acknowledged they would probably not have secured a conviction otherwise. I am not sure what part of the justice system you work in, and you may certainly be more knowledgeable than most, but my question is why wouldn't the evidence that the RCMP supposedly has (according to you), not have been presented at the preliminary hearing? Why would any evidence not be brought forth during this inquiry/hearing? What other evidence could there be? The fact is simply that they were not there at the time of the shootings..meaning they were not actively involved in the outcome of that day. Admittedly, they did not share all they knew with the police after the crime was committed...but to go from there to a first degree murder charge is incredible.

I followed David Staples' account of the Mr. Big sting operation involving Dennis Cheeseman. If this is the evidence you are referring to, again, I didn't see any clear admission of guilt from either Dennis or Shawn. This sort of evidence is dubious at the best of times and borders on coercion. Just watch the video regarding Andy Rose and the german tourists.

I look forward to your comments...I am trying to keep an open mind and if you can provide data showing that Shawn and Dennis are proven criminals, I will certainly be willing to listen/read.

Anyone else out there with more thoughts?

To Karen:

Unfortunately you have not researched this file as much as you think....there are many things in relation to the investigation that the public has not been exposed and that is why "it just doesn't make sense." The RCMP have not been able to release all the information because of court proceedings/appeals...ect. One day, all the evidence will come out.

I work in the justice system and I can guarantee you that people do not plead guilty to four counts of manslaughter when there is no sufficient evidence against them....in todays criminal justice system it is very difficult to get convictions.

I would suggest to people to wait till everything is out and then make their own opinions.

I can only think that the comments from 'anon' of November 15 come from a place of deep pain. Is this person related to the fallen members? To wish such ill on two young men who have suffered at the hands of our justice system could only come from a biased pain of loss of a relative or close friend.

I urge 'anon' to take a step back, take a fresh look at what we now know. I am going to repeat everything I have spoken about before.

There was no intent on the part of Shawn or Dennis to commit murder. They had nothing to gain nor anything to hide from the death of any police officers. There was no plan to aid and abet Roszko in the deaths of the officers. There was no talk from Rozsko that he intended to kill any police officers. His aim was to get back to his property and burn his hut. That could be construed as a crime one could say...but what you seem to have forgotten is that these two young men did not have any knowledge of what was taking place at Roszko's farm. Giving him a rifle and a ride did not mean that they were involved...involved in what? At the time Roszko spent with them, can we be sure that he himself knew for certain what was going on at his farm. If indeed Roszko was aware himself, that would mean that he had been back to the area (and that begs the question why he wasn't spotted and arrested) OR that he had received information from someone else. We now know that his mother, Mrs. Fifield, had spoken with him a number of times after 8 pm. But again, what did she know? She saw lights and activities that night but was she fully aware of what was going on. Did the RCMP go to her place and advise her that her son was now a wanted man? How can anyone be sure of just what Roszko did or did not know unless we find out from Mrs. Fifield just what she told him and of how certain that what she was telling him was indeed accurate.

So it is possible that the conversations Shawn et al had that night were only concerning hiding Roszko's truck and giving him a ride back so that he could check out what was going on. He spoke of burning the hut...that indeed would be a crime if he knew that there was an ongoing criminal investigation...can we be sure that he did...otherwise, burning your own property is not a criminal offence. He asked for a rifle he had borrowed before and they gave it to him. That could be construed a number of ways also...but again....going back to intent on the part of the boys....it just doesn't hold enough water to be used against them.

They did not devise a plan of escape or cover up...no discussion was held as to how, when and where an ambush would occur....there was absolutely no intent to commit a crime.

When you review the information about the morning of the tragedy....it is said that he ambushed them...but how did he know they were coming into the hut? Was he hidden...doubtful considering he took a bullet in his belt buckle..that doesn't indicate any hidden spot where he was holed up and couldn't be seen...I think they surprised him at the back of the hut....and he managed to fire first....firing toward the light is easier than firing at a target in the darkness. He ran out of the building and appeared surprised when confronted with the Edmonton chaps....if he was planning an ambush shouldn't he have been aware of the additional two. If he didn't know they were there, it may mean that he didn't know just how many there were actually there, given the members from the detachment only arrived minutes before the Edmonton two. That makes it a little more difficult to think that this ambush was a planned event...it was simply a rat being surprised and cornered and he reacted the only way he knew how. I think the events probably surprised Roszko just as much as anyone else. If an ambush was his plan, he had the opportunity during the 10 hours of arriving on the scene to do a lot of damage...why wait so long if you are full of rage and itching to kill. He took off earlier in an effort to hide his truck but needed help to do so... why, if he was such a wily and sly fellow,did he need help; why didn't he stay and give more grief to the bailiffs? Because he is a coward and a bully and when outnumbered he would run. To think he could actually have a plan that far in advance (10 hours) in circumstances that he was not totally aware of...i.e. who was there, how many were out looking for him, etc. is really giving an awful lot of credit for forward thinking to this man.

When he drew in Shawn and Dennis, he himself probably didn't know what was going to happen. He wanted a ride back. We can say that they should have known, but why would they....they wouldn't really even be aware of the seriousness of what was going on at the farm. If they thought police were there, they probably would have figured that the police would be able to handle it anyway...but they wouldn't have known who was out there...no one else told them...only Roszko told them anything and you would be hard pressed to prove that he actually knew what was going on.

I could go on and on but I think you get my drift.

To be guilty of such a serious crime, you have to have been involved in an intentional and knowledgeable way. Every manslaughter case the Judge quoted in his Reasons for Judgment clearly showed that each accused was indeed part of the crime or had straightforward knowledge of it, either by being party to it, or receiving benefit from it, or providing the information leading to it. No where here can this apply to this case. I found J. Macklin's citations to only further emphasize the differences. He stated that Shawn was morally culpable because he should have known something bad could happen. Please! We can't have a justice system based solely on the moral culpability ladder which cannot be measured and is purely subjective, and to convict on what someone should and should not know in circumstances out of their control. But the Judge had no choice, because the boys pleaded guilty.

I believe Mrs. Fifield holds the key...she knows what she told her son. If she were aware of his whereabouts and mindset that night, then she too, along with all the other family members he spoke to, are sitting on a rung of that moral culpability ladder. Why isn't this avenue being explored more by the RCMP.

Also, 'anon', in light of all the MR.BIG sting activities, how can one say that Denis Cheeseman's confession is to be taken seriously. Just ask yourself, what was the character of this young man before he got hauled into the Sting operation. Was he a borderline criminal then.

Please, please take an unjaundiced eye to this case. Someone should pay...for sure....but not at the expense of many more lives.

I have read that Dennis gave up his appeal. Makes a lot of sense to me. I Hope Shawn will soon do the same, and that these men will get what they deserve.

... THIS IS ABSOLUTELY BULLLSHIT BI THE RCMP... sendin undercover officers to make it like these 2 men were part of some murder... aLL BC roscoe killed himself they think they should have someone to prosecute... pathetic... imagine wearin face pain n the whole 9 yards taken down that yound lady... n then the fact they both were basically forced to plead guilty or face even more serious charge of life... 15 years n 12 years... for the rcmps mistakes... what a joke... our government should take a look at the waste of time n resources put into a undercover operation to arrest 2 ppl n charge them alll bc they made mistakes... bullshit free them men n erase those chARges

Karen, thanks for your continued interest in this case. You ask many great questions in your postings as well as provide answers to questions asked by others. It is obvious that you have taken the time to research this case and your support for Shawn and Dennis is based on the facts, not on half truths or the opinions of others.
To answer one of your questions - after assisting the Baliffs gain access to Roszko's farm (providing bolt cutters from their trunk), the RCMP and Baliffs walked through the quonset. Upon finding the grow-op the RCMP thanked the Baliffs and said they now had enough for their own serch warrant. One of the Baliffs testified to this at the Preliminary hearing.

Like Brenda, Mr. Hennessey and Barb before me, I continue to check in on the site.

I have read and reread the Statement of Facts and each time I do, a new and glaring discrepancy of what is fact or what isn't, jumps out.

The scenario started as a civil matter. It is reported that the bailiffs called the RCMP for assistance in the face of the dogs....then a little later on it states that the senior bailiff ordered the other one to call the police to let them know that the suspect and the vehicle they suspected was the one under writ, had been driven off the property. Technically that is all they were there for....suddenly the police arrive and the bailiffs are being "assisted" to gain entry. At whose suggestion was this made? I daresay if questioned the bailiffs would have to state that it was the police who initiated this action...the bailiffs no longer had any need to go on the property...in fact I believe they were probably thinking of returning to Edmonton ...remember, this is just a civil matter to them. Suddenly they find themselves caught up in a criminal matter. It indicates that they entered the property approx 4 pm...yet they did not depart until 6:30pm ... why? It should not have taken 2.5 hours to determine that the truck they were looking for was not on the property. They were there to give a legitimacy to the actions of the police...once it was established that the police had reason to ask for a search warrant they departed. Put them on the stand and let us hear what reasons they give for staying on a property for such a long time...when they had already called to advise the police that the suspect had left. Without the bailiffs, the police would not have been allowed on that farm...hence the length of time they spent there.

Mrs Fifield was reported as returning to her premises approximately at 7 pm after being away all day. Yet the SoF says that she watched the cars coming and going on the farm as she had in the daylight. What daylight? Where was she all day? What did she see? Roszko did not speak to her until 8 pm so obviously she was not at home much sooner than that. I am not sure of this, but wouldn't it have been dark around 7 pm on March 2 in Alberta so what is the daylight she is talking about.

I have just finished reading an article about another young fellow accused of murdering a young woman....evidence based on his admittance during a Mr. Big Sting operation. He spent 14 years in jail...

Why are we allowing this dubious method of extracting information to be proffered as evidence? It stinks!

This such a travesty of justice ... I feel ill just thinking about it. I too have two sons, one being in law enforcement, and I can only imagine the pain the Hennesseys and the Cheesemans are going through. These young men are not killers....no intent could have been proven....I don't want to blame their lawyers, but let me say I would not want them defending my children. They underestimated what a judge would do, and they underestimated what a jury of peers would do. I am well into my middle age and have always been on the side of the law...and I would not have convicted them on this crap evidence that was brought forth by the Prosecutors' office.

Thanks for listening.

I continue to check in on this site in hopes that something positive has changed for these boys. I truly believe that things will turn around for them, and they will be free again very soon. I have two sons and it tears my heart out to read postings from Barry Henessey who is clearly beside himself in anguish over what is happening to his son. I worry about the outcome this situation will have on the families. Is there no lawyer out there who will come forward and help these boys?? Somebody has the power to do something; please don't let these kids remain in prison for a crime committed by another. Why isn't R's mother in prison for not calling the police as well? Why is there no reprimand for the RCMP and their role in this mess? I pray each day that someone with the power to do something about this injustice will come forward. The punishment does not fit the crime! We have a case here in Saskatchewan where a young man contributed to the death of his own two daughters; he only got two years! Shawn and Dennis did not kill anyone and they got 12 and 15 years. The difference? No RCMP officers were affected. That really is the crux of this case, and it is the main reason Shawn and Dennis have been punished. The RCMP refuse to take responsibility for their own actions, but rather sit back and let these two boys take the fall. My prayers continue for the families of these two boys as well as the families of the fallen four; however what our judicial system has done to Shawn and Dennis will not bring back the officers.

Madness, madness, madness! Destruction of more lives and families can't compensate for the loss of 4 officers lives.
Police misconduct continues to be a major problem in Canada as seen through wrongful conviction after wrongful conviction. The "Mr. Big" sting has got to made inadmissible in Canadian courts. It is coercive and manipulative and can't be relied upon to produce valid evidence. I hope to goodness I never have the eye of Canadian police wrongfully focused on me. I simply would not feel safe.
Get these boys out of jail now, before their lives are irretrievably lost and before the compensation bill the public has to pay rises even higher.

Has anyone heard any more about the progress of the appeal?

I keep searching the net but can't get anywhere.

Re.: karen walker | | Posted February 4, 2009 09:40 PM

Karen, for the record:

Long before the CBC interview took place, shortly after the sentencing, Shawn's dad was on talk show radio and essentially provided the same story. When asked by the talk show host as to why these facts did not come out in court Mr. Hennessey replied that the accused were not allowed to speak.

Why, I don't know, whether by court procedure or by advice of their lawyer. In any event the lid was kept tight on the pressure cooker.

Just Google "Jason Dix" (Sherwood Park, Alberta) another one Big Stinged, convicted and jailed won $ 765.000 in compensation.

My long held view, the RCMP more folklore than police. Worse now, they are malicious and dangerous.

I don't know enough about court procedures. What occurred to me, however, is whether or not Shawn and Dennis had not the option to elect judge and jury. The next step forward would be to contact the minister of justice asking to order a new trial if this was within his / her jurisdiction. I believe this is what happened with Steve Truscott.

Still, both men have pleaded guilty at the advice of their lawyer. What I missed in the CBC production was an interview with the lawyer as to why he would have made such recommendation.

I know one thing for sure, from painful personal experience, the judiciary here in Alberta sucks. One of the most senior lawyers in the province (decades of experience) is quoted as having said that he could no longer give legal advice because he could not rely on the law any more. That should say it all.

I check this site often with a tissue in my hand to slow down the tears.I wonder each day what i can do to get Shawn and Dennis back to the ones that love them so very much.They are so very depressed at this moment I cant even explain to anyone.Shawn misses his children so much his mind is having a hard time to think rationally anymore.The boys have been locked up like animals for almost 2 years now,and thats 2 years too many.I know from the bottom of my heart that the families of the 4 officers have to feel this is all so very wrong aswell.I ask them to please come foward and help us get the boys home where they belong.I can also say to them that this is the only issue that everyone sees as the only reason the boys are locked up. They did not call the police when they dropped Roszko of at his farm some 10 hours before he opened fire on those officers.The reason no phone call was made was because he never mentioned at anytime he was going to hurt anyone.(NEVER TO THE BOYS)They also dropped him of at his mothers house and not at his farm.The boys would of called someone if they knew someone was going to die or if he was going to shoot at anyone.The agreed statement of facts is so very WRONG here.I pray everyday that someone in Roszko,s family would come forward and tell the true story what really happened that night when he was at his mom,s house.I,m sure Roszko had no idea he was going to kill anyone.I get so many phone calls and emails from all over Canada saying this is all wrong. I get them from mounties ,lawyers,professional people and even from ex judges and people that work in crown offices.A couple of law professors even contacted me.With this many people with concerns why can,t we do something?Why can,t the Prime Minister step in ? Why doesn,t the courts just release the boys . ?Whats wrong with our system?Why can,t someone just stand up and admit this country is destroying 2 boys lives for nothing.They are also destroying the lives of those of us who love these to young men,and that number is in the hundreds.Those 2 little girls cry themselves to sleep each night because they are scared for and miss Uncle Dennis and Dad.I pray and ask god each night that someone help us get the 2 boys freed from this nightmare.I pray that someone from the families of the 4 officers please come forward and help us.I pray that maybe even Roszko,s mother would come forward and tell what really happened.I even pray that maybe even the judge who passed the sentence would come forward and admit that just maybe he was just a little bit wrong.There has to be a couple members of the Mr Big operators who think this is wrong ,and want to come forward?I ask for someone to please help this desperate situation.Please dont wait any longer and contact someone.Contact me and I will see that its private and gets directed to the proper people.
Thanks for listening.
Shawns Dad
Barry Hennessey

Apparently another blatant example of corrupt government behavior, (that of emotional, reactionary choices) - this one involving collusion between the RCMP and the Canadian Judicial system.

The guilty one took his own life before the Police could arrest or shoot him.

Apparently that's too tough a pill for the RCMP chiefs and/or policians to swallow. Understandably so. They obviously lacked a direction in which to point and fire off their unresolved (and justified) anger.

This however, gives them NO right to torture/coerce false confessions/pleas from (relatively) innocent people. It gives them NO right to imprison them for unfairly long sentences either.

These erroneous and corrupt actions do not (truly) appease the families of the officers, or the public at large.

It doesn't (truly) appease the chiefs or politicians either, - though they may choose to side with
"professional" ego, and denial, as they pretend to have righteously served the public interest.

The guilty party was a sick bastard and is now dead. The RCMP got "their man" in this one. Tragically, the psycho-loser got four of our (Canada's) good men in that process.

Seek self-improvement instead of misplaced revenge folks. Improve the information sharing among Officers with respect to the freak's history. Evidently at least one officer was unarmed while holding down a professioanal grow-op, that belonged to a derranged and potentially (likely) violent man. Why not engage our Armed Forces, or MORE Police Officers, in situations like these to secure the perimeter for the safety of all concerned.

THAT will help, but destroying additional lives will NOT. Continuing to torture these two young men and their families genuinely serves nobody.

The Judge/s should have recognized and admonished the "witch hunt" component in this case. He/she should have used genuine and appropriate discretion in sentencing prison time for the negligence and obstruction of Justice, but nowhere near the time sentenced. 3,5, or 8 years sends a clear message and leaves the bulk of the blame where it belongs, on the dead murderer.

As for the prisoners - perhaps Amnesty International, and/or the parole system in Canada can virtually/ actually save their lives, (as 12 and 15 years may well destroy them otherwise).

If the Parole Board, the Judge/s, the Police, or any other "authority" figure needs guidance on this issue why not consult the deceased Officers' families? I'd almost bet MY life that the rational folks among those families will agree that the sentencing was far too harsh, given the prisoners real involvement in the killings.

I suggest that the families of the prisoners wait a year or more, and then write a genuine and remorseful letter to the families of the deceased Officers and ask their sincere opinion of the sentencing. This may provide a valueable opportunity for these families to be heard, to be understood, and to gain a greater sense of closure from their grief.

Their responses may help allow (less guilty) lives to continue (through earlier release), as well as provide some hope of regaining some sanity and well-being from this madness.

Revenge is not true leadership. True leadership seeks positive outcomes, for current and future generations, (in all families).

I watched this story and was very disturbed by it. I'm perplexed as to how such a fiasco could make it to court alone be prosecuted. It is absolutely absurd that the judge could say they should of known that James Roszko could be capable of murder. I say to you Mr Justice what does that say about your RCMP staff who were very aware of Mr Roszko, they had all the criminal records on this person should they not of known his capabilities knowing full well his great disdain for any police officer. It is a joke these people were put in jail to appease the justice system to simply have someone accountable because they couldn't do their job before he killed those four RCMP constables. I think there should be an inquiry into this trial, the way they handled it anyone of us could be in Hennessey's or Cheeseman's shoes, god help us if they call this justice.

While my heart goes out to the Barrhead Families. If the two young men had contacted the police immediately upon dropping Rosko off at the farm. The outcome may have been different. By not contacting them (the police) they became an accessory to the crime and should be held responsible for their actions.

These boys were found guilty by association. This is wrong, wrong, wrong. It might be illegal to sell a little pot but this guy seems like a very gentile, hard working family man. He was young, scared and I would of done the same thing he did to get this violent guy away from my family and home.

The only thing he is guilty of is not informing the police immediately of the circumstances thay took place prior to the tragedy.

We have all made bad decisions in our lives, but these boys certainly should not be in jail. They did not have any idea about what this maniac had on his mind.

I'm putting a plea out there for anyone in the legal system to help these boys get released. They have done enough time dealing with feelings of guilt and could have no idea of what this guy was planning. He didn't even know!

Someone please help them to get out.

Mickey Montin(mother of three young men)

I have just watched this for the third time and am even angrier then before. A great, simple young man used by the RCMP to get revenge the killing of four of their own. Revenge and a way to deflect attention from their botched attempt in dealing with Rosco.
This isn't Canadian justice...this is deep Southern tactics from the 60's.
Has anyone started anything to help these two young men? I have no idea what to do but such crap makes me so embarrassed to be Canadian.

Hi Alien and Karen
I firmly believe that until the RCMP doesn't investigate themselves there will be a lot of problems with this case. Four and a half years later their investigation has still not been heard - I think that is disgusting for the families of the Mounties, for the Hennessey and Cheesman families and for Canadians in general.
I too e-mailed David Staples congratulating him for writing his stories, congratulated Jay West for having the gumption to come forward with what is rotten with the Canadian Correction System - we Canadians are all too apathetic until it hits someone we know and love.
I have known the Hennessys for 29 years, have watched Shawn grow up, watched him fall in love, and watched him with his family - we should all be so loved.
I just finished reading 'The Hennessey Interview' in the Barrhead Leader that tells about the difficulties the families are going through at the present time. Christine, Shawn's wife has only visited him once because she has to work to keep her young family going - it takes 5 hours one way to go to Grande Cache. She has yet to visit her brother Dennis in Drumheller - and it is not because she doesn't want to. Shawns's little daughters can't take him reminders of home-no cookies, scrapbooks or Fathers Day presents, so they put everything in a shoe box for when he returns - how hard can that be for two little ones?
Meanwhile I am sure the Big Sting Crew sit back, patting themselves on the back thinking that Canadians are behind them, that it is perfectly moral to "pretend to do this, and pretend to do that". It is fine to turn a naive young man into a criminal by pretending to be criminals, that it is perfectly moral to screw up a young man's mind and his heart. How happy would their parents be if they knew what their sons and daughters were really doing??
I tink that would be an interesting perspective for another Fifth Estate. I was speaking with a friend who was married to an ex-RCMP whose main goal in life was getting convictions when he knew perfectly well that what he was doing was not necessarily legally, and definitely not morally right.
There are some really wonderful Mounties, and then there are the others.
We Canadians have to know what is going on in our country - thank goodness for the press who tell it right.

wow great story hope the guys get out of jail they did nothing wrong i would of done the same thing like every body would to protect their familly.if he would of done anything else mabey(thekiller) he would of killed the wife or kids or him and now it would of been a diferent story and you people would say;look he (the killer)killed this wonderful familly what did they do wrong.
sorry for the english but im french and i try
kevin
thx

I just listened to the rebroadcast of Collateral Damage this Sunday Morning on CBC TV, and was totally disgusted with the outcome to these 2 jailed men, whom IMO, were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, imagine going to jail for that simple reason. This poor country of mine, has changed so much since I was young, I was so proud to be Canadian, but it is this constant series of disgusting outcomes that comes from our justice system that has made me ashamed now to be Canadian. It should be illegal for our justice system to continue acting like a bully that it is or has become. When my own country can bring tears to my eyes, it truly is a shame. A shame, that we must all carry, so that change can bring back the Canada that I knew when I was young and innocent. Oh Canada, Shame on your Justice System and all those implicated, you know who yous are. Shame on you. It's our freedom, not yours, OURS. From someone who has been shafted by lawyers before, I know how yous are. Shame on yous.

I followed the articles in the Edmonton paper. It certainly answered a lot of questions for me. I have emailed the Fifth Estate urging them to do a follow up. I also emailed David Staples to thank him for giving us an inside look at exactly what took place.
I agree with the earlier writer in that anyone reading those articles would be hard pressed to still find them guilty of anything except bad judgment.

Does anyone have any idea to whom one could write within the RCMP to protest the Mr. Big sting process. Knowing the 'old boy' network that permeates that organization, I am doubtful my protest would be acknowledged but I feel helpless about doing something about this gross injustice and would like to vent to others apart from the group on this site.

Is there anyone else out there still that can offer some suggestions to try and get some action on this?

Karen

Hi Karen
Your message did not pop up until this morning, although I have also been away.
I go onto 'The Edmonton Journal' site and scroll down to the photo of James Roazko called 'A Web of Lies' and click on there. There are 31 articles that were front page articles. All very good. I, like you, met with a lot of apathy, but 40 people have changed their minds now and read the articles with interest.
It is too bad that the articles weren't carried down east as it continues The Fifth Estate stories.
There are many new things happening, so I understand, and am looking forward to more coming out.
I hope the Fifth Estate follows through with some more with the info they have.
Thanks
Barb in Calgary

I still check the comments out here ,but it seems that everyone is just moving on like any other case that has a bad smell to it.Its to bad that these boys are still sitting in jail cells.It would be interesting to see some comments here from some of the people who think those boys should be in jail after they read the Web Of Lies story in the Edmonton Journal,(done by David Staples).Its just such a shame the rcmp played with Cheeseman,s mind until the manipulated him in to saying anything they wanted him to say.I am embarrased to say this is the way our system works.If the justice system thinks they are sure they have 2 boys that should be locked for 27 years total ,something is very wrong.
Brad

Hi Barb,

Thanks for the update. If you find a good access, could you post it here. I will try and get info from the western newspapers.

You are right, if it weren't for Fifth, I would not have been as aware as I am today. I remember when it happened, but a good friend had passed away at that time, and my focus wasn't on this story. However, I am sorry to say, that even when I try to raise interest in the story among friends and acquaintances, their lack of interest is startling. Apathy reigns in this country it seems.

Again, thanks...I will keep checking in.

Karen

It is my understanding that beginning Friday, June 19th and for the following 20 days, the Edmonton Journal will be featuring a series on Shawn and Dennis entitled "A Web of Lies", which should prove to be very interesting. We should be able to access it on line.
Had it not been for the CBC's Fifth Estate programs that brought their story to Canadians across the nation - would their story have remained buried?

Hi Karen
Once again you pose a very interesting question.
I understand that James had soup at some point in the early evening, but after that?? Most interesting. I will ask around but I don't imagine that the RCMP would have allowed release of such information.
I understand that the RCMP is just trying to keep everything quiet and "down play" any involvement of the Mr. Big Sting in the case.
There are many people checking in on the site, but as I said, most people are just waiting.
Thanks

I didn't think I would be coming back to this site!! But I have a question (again!!)....does anyone know if the autopsy on Roszko included his stomach contents. Only curious as according to all reports he hopped into his car and left the farm at 3 pm. Just wondering where or even if, he ate that evening. My thoughts are that depending on the contents and the estimated time he may have eaten, it might show where else he went that night. I have difficulty thinking he lay out in the cold snowy field all night...especially on an empty stomach. I'm not sure what impact this may have on the case if proven that he ate after midnight that night. Just might show that he took the time to eat...pretty odd for someone who was in a murderous frame of mind.

I still think he didn't intend to kill anyone. If he hadn't been able to get into the hut, he couldn't have done what he did. The fact is he did get into the hut even though the RCMP had officers on duty watching the hut all night.

Anyway...I get these obscure thoughts (such as autopsy results) and just needed to vent them. Thanks to anyone still reading this.

Karen

Hi Karen
Once again many thanks for all your comments that have been well thought out and presented.
I think basically what is happening at the moment is that everyone is patiently waiting for the new lawyers and associates to read through the thousands of pages of transcripts and decide what should be done.
Shawn and Dennis are presently in Grande Cache and Drumheller and have not had visitors yet because of the length of time it supposedly takes to 'process' the visitor's applications, which is hogwash as far as I am concerned.
Is is my understanding that the CBC has many more hours of footage that could be shown, and should be shown and I hope that the powers that be, decide to present it.
Many thanks to the CBC for their efforts in letting the public know what is going on in this case and in all the other cases.
Barb

Well folks, it looks as if things are slowing down now on this site, and this will be my last submission.

I think everything that could be said has now been said. Those of us who are not anti Shawn and Dennis can only wait now and see what happens during the appeal. As I live in Ontario,this case has not been as well covered as it should be.

I have read just about everything that I could find on the web,from the bailiff's report to Judge Macklin's reasons for sentencing. Again, I say that there is nothing in the evidence to prove intent on the part of Shawn and Dennis. What we all, both pro and con parties, have lost sight of, is that when Roscko appeared at Shawn's house that night, Shawn would not have had any knowledge of what was going on in Mayerthorpe. We keep hearing that he should have known what the outcome would be....even Judge Macklin states that...it is beyond me why we would expect him to know that....all he would know is what Roscko would tell him. Therefore giving him a ride is not an offence. There is no law that says you have to incriminate yourself...which, I am sure, in his thinking, is what he would be doing if he made any phone calls. The time lapse is too great between last seeing Roscko and what happened...to make this a party to an offence. The members died when they stumbled across him in the hut...he could have taken them, or some of them out at any time, but he didn't. Why didn't he stay shooting at the two remaining members instead of scurrying back in and shooting himself? I don't think he planned to kill anyone..but having done so, he took the only way out for himself. He had no great plan to wipe out the force that day...if he had, he could've picked off many more. I am not defending the guy but I think we have all given him more credit for an 'ambush' than actually occurred. He became a cornered, frightened animal that lashed out...there was no great plan..we have given him far more legendary attributes than he ever deserves. He will probably be a hero to all the low lifes and seedy creatures that we live amongst....and he was no hero...just scared and cowardly.

Dennis and Shawn were not participants in the outcome...there were things they could have and should have done...but there is no law requiring them to do so.

Take care everyone.

Dear anonymous...

I have no anger or no resentment whatosever as I have no emotional ties with s/d... My anger and resentment is towards who it should be and that is Rozsko... But I do have concerns to the manner to which James Roszko was consistently set free as well the decision that was made in regards to protection of the fallen 4 heroes as well the lack of support they recieved in covering a quonset and the surrounding area allowing Roszko to murder 4 fine officers... I have read many articles and done some research into the Mayerthorpe incident... I like others still have many questions unanswered... I have spoken to friends who are retired RCMP officers as well City Police Officers and they have informed me the decision made my by RCMP on that tragic night was incompetent and the RCMP are covering their butts in order not to get sued by the fallen 4 officers family members... As well I have sat face to face with my uncle who is a retired police officer and he said the same thing... So what I am angry and resentful about is the fact that I feel this whole tragedy could have been avoided if the justice system did what it was meant to do... I have no problem saying that s/d are guilty of making a poor judgement and also obstructing police but to convict them of manslaughter and give them 15 and 12 year sentences and impact their lives and their families for this length of time to me is ridiculous... To me 3 -5 years is plenty... Would I think differently if it were one of my family members who were murdered by Roszko... I am not sure as I can't experience their pain and loss... But I can pray for them and hope their pain will lessen one day...

Take care anonymous and I hope we NEVER have to do a Fifth estate program on this subject again...

Dan

Dan, You sound like quite an angry, resentful man yourself.

It's another good reason for me to remain anonymous!

And you simply add to the creepiness of the direct contact I've had with one supporter. According to some of your comments, you and many Many other d/s supporters seem to feel that only you people should have a point of view. Also, please note: in this and the previous posting, I wrote "many" supporters; not all.

Really, I would like to leave off now, cause we're all behaving badly here. I would simply advise you, while I'm on good behaviour, to read everything you can get your hands on about this case...including why the judge made his decision.

Please, be well informed - the CBC documentary only presented a sympathetic, highly biased point of view, emphasized by a lot of crying, sniffling, and sad, self-pitying expressions for the camera.

Take a look at the other side, please!

Dear "anonymous"...

I just read your very mature comments to anyone that supports d/s and I laughed as it reminded me of a 2 year-old throwing a temper tantrum because they didn't get there way! Anonymous you are allowed your point of view and beliefs but why is it so wrong for those who feel d/s were railroaded to cover for the RCMP's incompetency to get Roszko along time ago or to properly and safely secure the quonset... To say that whoever supports s/d are "illogical and unimformed" is somewhat judgemental "anonymous"... As well calling s/d "douchebags" is somewhat immature as well... There is no question I feel s/d should some time for what I believe is obstruction of the police... But give me a break... 15 and 12 years for s and d... They aren't hardened criminals whatosever... they aren't a threat to society... shaun was a popcorn marijuana seller and dennis had nothing to do with it... they are guilty of associating with a person like Roszko and that's all... they didn't take him to his farm knowing that he was going to murder 4 officers or give him a rifle knowing Roszko was going to murder 4 officers... there biggest mistake was not contacting the RCMP as soon as they dropped him off... But how the heck did Roszko get that close to his farm whether he was with s/d or by himself or with someone else... they should have stationed RCMP officers with a road block and cordone off a mile area surrounding Roskos farm and then none of this tragedy might have been avoided...

Well take care anonymous and I hope you enjoy reading that s/d have appealed their sentence and have either been released or recieved a more appropriate sentence...

Dan

There's little logic in the way you people (d/s supporters)think. I'm disappointed that so many of you are so uninformed and illogical. Meanwhile, I've said before that I'm anonymous because I have had some minimal contact with d/s supporters, and it was VERY CREEPY - a bit unsettling, and somewhat FRIGHTGENING - I'm concerned that it could be dangerous to identify myself as a result. After all, we're talking about people who support a pair of convicted criminals.

Whatever the case, carry on with your attempts and I'd rather get away from all this nonsense. Bye bye, and I hope you are unsuccessful in your attempts to free the two doucebags.

It is very interesting to read everyone's opinion.

Although I firmly believe that Shawn and Dennis were roped into this mess, my main concern is the application of our laws in this case.

It obviously could not be proven, without a reasonable doubt, that there was intent on the part of Shawn and Dennis to be a party to what occurred on March 3. If evidence existed then there would be no need for a Mr. Big sting. Yereniuk, the Crown Prosecutor, himself stated that there was not enough evidence to reasonably assure a conviction. This statement was made to the press after the boys had changed their plea to guilty of manslaughter. My question is why didn't someone in the Crown Prosecutor's office have the courage to say ...'you know what folks, we don't have enough evidence to proceed with first degree murder charges'.. Given the circumstances of who died and how, and the time and money spent on the followup investigation, I can only imagine the crown prosecutor was under an enormous amount of pressure to get a result. I would like to believe that the Crown should be independent, at arm's length, and should make decisions to proceed with any case based solely on the evidence and without 'feeling' any undue pressure from any area, private or government, or whether the case is large or small. Can we count on this? I don't feel confident any more.

I feel the Crown should have the moral and ethical responsibility to not proceed with any charges where the evidence is either lacking, suspect or insufficient. In this case they have brought our justice system into disrepute by not withdrawing the capital murder charges when it was evident that there was not enough evidence to get a conviction, as stated by Yereniuk.

The evidence is that the boys gave him a ride, and gave him a rifle. To me the ride is irrelevant...he had other means of getting there if he had to, he just didn't want the police to seize his vehicle. Now, if the boys had caused a distraction to allow him access to the hut, that would be aiding and abetting. If they had come back at a designated hour to pick him up, that would be aiding, etc. There was no followup plan, no premeditated coverup. They just dropped him off.

The very fact that they were able to drive him back without anyone stopping them is also bothersome. Wasn't anyone on the lookout for vehicles at night in that area? To say the ride back was the key element/evidence in this tragedy doesn't deserve to be given such weight. The main point to me is how did this man get back into the hut...not how did he get back to the area. Getting back wasn't difficult....getting into the quonset hut, however, should have been impossible or, at the very least, difficult and obviously it wasn't. We don't know (or at least I don't) just what time he snuck into the hut. As standard procedure in such cases, the RCMP were there to secure the building and to ensure no items were removed,i.e. to keep people from going in and out. What happened? These guys are well-trained, and it wouldn't matter if you were on the job two weeks or 35 years..they still would know what to do. Why did they let their guard down... thus giving Roszko the opportunity to slip in.

These are questions we won't get answers for....but I do know the answer is not to incarcerate Shawn and Dennis for capital murder...manslaughter or not.

Thanks for listening.

Hey "anonymous"! Just read your comments... Why don't they take all the people in Mayerthorpe including the RCMP, Judges, Mayor, council people and charge them too... Because they all knew that eventually one day Roszko was going to kill someone... Give me a break "anonymus"! Trust me I would read 100,000 peices of paper if it meant defending me or them charging me with first degree murder... So that was a moot comment... Your comment about the rifle and what S. said in the documentary made me shake my head... What about S. comment that he thought Roszko was going to use the rifle to shoot a fuel tank to cause a fire to burn down the quonset?

Hey I would be the first person to feel empathy towards the fallen 4 officers and their entire families as it was a horrific tragedy... But it also could have been completely avoided if the legal system did what it was set up to do as well the RCMP set up a proper survellience on the quonset or as soon as they found the grow op went searching for Roszko and set up "Mr. Big" to get Roszko before this tragedy occurred...
Now FYI I have no relationship with S/D or thier families and have never met any of these people... As well I have RCMP and city police friends and two relatives that are police officers so I have no resentment towards the police... To me it's about in this situation the RCMP officers involved in the decision to place these 4 officers at risk should be held more accountable...

Have a fantastic day "anonymous"!

Dan

Why are people anonymous here? They are fallen four family members who have been blinded by the BIG BOSS?Each time i read something with no name attached i feel the embarrased faces behind the writing.Why do these people just go off without any idea what the world is around them.Where does it say Shawns wife knew that police were going to die 10 hours after Shawn last saw Roskzo.I must of missed that part. Where did it say Shawn knew the madman was going to kill 4 officers 10 hours after he last saw him?I guess i missed that part also? But i bet Roskzo's mom can answer lots of these questions.After all he spent the night at her house.I truly hope the ones who are not to proud to use their names here get a shock that feels like a tazer when the boys go home soon.The lawyers should have little problem proving that the police and crown screwed up here.I must say big time screwed up.They cant hide their ugly mess forever. The truth will come out and all of you S/D haters will not be able to sleep,knowing how much of a mess us Canadians are in. Having a police state like we really do is not sitting too well with most of us whom thought we lived in a country that give us some rights.We truly need a revamp of all the deception and lies we hear daily from our leaders.This case has been a huge LIE from the beginning.I wish they would just admit the mess they turned the Mayerthorpe Conspiracy into.If they did that just maybe , some respect could be gained back,and start a new day from there.But i doubt it.That would be to honest.I would also like to say we all hurt for the fallen four,s Family,s.But how could they all believe that S/D are responsible for this.Thats the largest crime here.The killer is dead. So let the boys go home and get on with their lives.They suffered enough.

Brenda in Regina,

I can also taste the seething bitterness of those people who side with these two very immature men who are taking advantage of so many naieve people: their families and friends, and those who are providing money for a new defense lawyer.

Because I've not been taken in by these two cowards and their lies, and by the one sided FE episode about them doesn't make me a family member or even a friend of the victims. I've looked at more than just the FE episode by following the case since its beginning, and am fully capable of thinking for myself.

These men are not children or victims. They signed a document pleading guilty; only they know why they did so, and now they regret it. They found hope in Linden McIntyre and the CBC and are running with the public sympathy that's been generated.

I can not help but sympathize with the families of the officers who died in the line of duty and who will never see their loved ones again while d/s's families will see them again.

Attitudes such as yours are very frightning - this is why I remain anonymous.

What annoys me about this story is that this is clearly a young couple trying to live the simple life. They probably live where they do because they wanted to get away from the manipulation and drama of the big city and this is what they get.

This is a case of a young man trying to be nice with everyone because he just wants that simplicity..and Roszko taking advantage of that. I don't think SH was naive, I think he is just too nice and was consumed by fear.

In no other situation could James Roszko be in any way connected to Shawn. This was the only way Roszko, described as a loner, could have any connect with people - to use fear, scare tactics, and use the small-town pasivity and kindness to his advantage.

Hi Karen,

I hope people take note of this: in the documentary, Shawn states that he didn't care what Roszko was going to do with the rifle - that in itself is some pretty strong evidence against him.

I also believe Shawn's wife and Roszko's mother should be charged because they also knew what was going to happen, and as well, other charges should be laid against people who knew what happened and did not come forward.

Meanwhile, there are likely thousands of pages of material that one would have to read in order to determine why 1st degree murder charges were laid.

I doubt that the new lawyers, whoever they are and however good they may be, will be able to get d/s released from the signed document and from the lengthy prison sentences. It's rare that such a thing happens after such documents have been signed.

Chances are the lawyers will make good money, but nothing will change for s/d. It could be a huge waste of money for all those bleeding hearts out there donating their hard earned money, and their precious time to advance the careers of a pair of cowardly criminals. Surely there are more worthy causes out there to be concerned about.

The RCMP and police officers everywhere put their lives on the line when they go to work - their lives are always at risk. This is why the sentence is a long one -otherwise, people would consider it open season on those who uphold the laws and protect us,

I can almost taste the seething bitterness of 'anonymous' who states that the RCMP are being used as scapegoats and that the boys are getting what they deserved. I think it must be a family member of one of the fallen four. All one has to do is look to the track record of the RCMP to see who is truly responsible. To say that all the boys had to do was contact the RCMP if they were afraid of Roszco, is simply naive. How many prior reports of Roszco's violence were made by others? The RCMP did nothing. Roszco was left to terrorize a community, while the RCMP had knowledge all along. The big question here is- why did they leave him free to continue bullying and terrorizing the people in the community? Why didn't they do their job? The fact that they did not do anything, only goes to show exactly why Shawn and Dennis did not contact the RCMP. It's pretty clear from past events that Roszco most likely would have known the call came from S/D and could have shown up on their doorstep; most likely killing them. They were protecting their families, just like anyone else would do. If you cannot rely on the RCMP to protect you and yours, why in the world wouldn't you do it yourself? Would you simply hope for the best? The blame lies with Roszco, but the responsiblility lies with the RCMP. That fact will never change. They simply haven't admitted to thier failures. Rather than admit that they made a huge error in not going after Roszco- they have chosen to lay blame on the two boys. And that is exactly what they are! Boys! Cut them some slack for being naive and making a couple of poor decisions, something I daresay we have all done in our lifetime! Do you really truly believe they should be accountable for the actions of a madman? If Roszco were alive today- he would be the one in jail and nobody would be looking toward Shawn or Dennis. I feel bad for the families of the slain officers, but look toward their leadership for blame. They are the ones who had full and prior knowledge of James Roszco, and still turned a blind eye. They are ultimitely responsible for the entire chain of events that transpired that fateful day!!

Hi Karen in Ontario
Thank you for your time and effort behind your comments.
I would like to comment but am swamped at the moment and unable to - but I will.
You have probably heard that S/D's lawyers filed conviction appeals yesterday, want their guilty pleas struck and a new trial ordered. These are very good lawyers and "know their stuff".
Let's hope that proper justice will prevail in this case.
I too am not anti-police, but definitely am shocked at all that has happened here and am concerned about the justice system in Canada.
Thank you.

Thanks to the last two contributors. The puzzle I have is what irrefutable evidence could the Crown be using that would cause the boys' lawyers to suggest that they change their plea. I have been reading various reports that I found on line and there is no hint of what the damning evidence would be. If it was information garnered from the Mr. Big Sting, surely this could have been challenged....what will the appeal process uncover, if anything.

The Criminal Code, section 21 does state that two or more persons who form an intention in common to carry out an unlawful purpose and assist each other and if any one of them commits an offence, then the others are also deemed to have been a party to that offence (not verbatim). Okay, if S/D knew that R was going back for the sole purpose of killing the police and deliberately gave him a rifle and drove him there for that purpose, then this would indeed apply, regardless of their presence.

But that section goes on to state that actions done under duress are not considered an intent/party to the offence. It does not state what level of duress has to be applied for it to count.

But it can be argued that the intention formed (or an implied awareness) was for R to burn/destroy his property. Is this a crime? Where in law is it illegal to destroy your own property? Yes, you may need a permit to burn your own property down, and you may have to have the fire department's permission, but I can't find where it is against the Criminal Code to do so. Are you in violation of a criminal law? If it can be determined that destroying one's own property is not a criminal offence then this could change whether S/D were actually party to an offence or any succeeding offences. Is it an offence to provide a ride, loan him a rifle because he wants to destroy some of his farm property?

What we have to remember is that R technically was not aware of what was going on at his farm...i.e. he had not been contacted by the RCMP to advise him, he had not been served with any papers. It has been said that his mother told him the police were on his property...had she been in contact with the police and had they informed her that a criminal investigation was now being conducted with a legally obtained search warrant and that a warrant had been issued for her son's arrest? Did she know there was a grow op/chop shop on the property? If she knew police where there only because she could see some activity over there, then should we assume that R did not know of the criminal investigation underway..he couldn't be sure that they had found his 'businesses'. He would indeed be aware of the police presence but whether or not there was an official investigation would not have been clear. He may have figured it had more to do with him taking off with the truck. Was it his intent only to destroy his stuff before they found it...is it too fine a line to say that as it isn't a criminal offence to destroy your own property (unless to defraud insurance companies, banks, etc., or to obstruct an ongoing criminal investigation), then is it possible that S/D were not actually parties to an offence as it can be said that they would have no way of knowing what was going on at the farm. Yes, I know it is unlawful to destroy evidence in a criminal investigation, but at the point of the alleged intent, conversation, etc., could it be expected that S/D would know that a police investigation was being conducted. All they knew was what R told them...he wanted to go back to HIS property and destroy it. As I said, this is a fine line and would need a good lawyer to apply it. You shouldn't be held to Section 21 if it cannot be deemed that what was initially intended/suggested cannot be proven to be an offence. Can someone help with this? I could be right off target here, but it is worth a thought or two.

I do want to be clear that I am not anti police...in fact, that couldn't be further from the truth, but I want to believe in our laws and that they are applied fairly. What evidence did the Crown have that could not be refuted? We all know that the intent of S/D was not to be involved in capital murder that night. To be caught in a dubious police tactic (anyone who saw the Andy Rose 'sting' tape understands the pressure victims are under) and have that evidence used for conviction without more substantial evidence being available doesn't make me feel assured that the law is here to protect us.

As an aside, were the police conducting an active search for R after they found the contents of the hut? According to an earlier contributor, R's aunt knew and could have told them that he must be in contact with an S. Hennessy as she had been contacted by him and had seen the name through caller ID...if she had been contacted by police, this information would probably have been passed along. This would have given them their first lead..however, it appears they were too busy emptying the hut. You know, even if they had tracked him down, there would be no guarantee that there wouldn't be lives lost in that confrontation either. It could so easily have been the Hennessy family.

Thanks for listening/reading.

It would be impossible for d/s to prove they did not read the statement which they signed. Possibly the lawyers read it out loud to them, but they weren't listening carefully.

Everybody knows you should never sign a document that you haven't read (especially a document that holds your future in your hands); chances are high that it also states that the signees had read it previous to signing it.

The Fifth Estate has presented a story with a strong bias, so it's difficult not to side with d/s unless you've followed the case from the beginning.

D/s had two years to come forward and tell their stories; they did not. That is why a sting operation happened. The fact that they hid the truth (and so did all those other people who knew what happened, such as Christine and Roszko's mom, and a few other unmentioned names whom I suspect d/s confided in), makes them look very guilty.

I wish the CBC had in fact presented both sides of the story; furthermore, CBC's intro and hook into their program was that d/s never had a chance to tell their side. This was a disappointing claim, since the show only expanded on information we all knew already - that d/s claim they acted the way they did because they were scared of Roszko.

To Karen and Ernest in Ontario - Thank you both for your interest in this case. Further to your questions, this is what I know:
The RCMP traced Shawn through cell phone conversations. It appeared that there were many calls butwhat actually happened was that the calls were dropped which is very common in that area.. When Roszko appeared at Shawn's home, his wife Christine handed him their phone through the door and he called his mother and aunt who refused to help him hide his truck.
The RCMP were not aware of a grow op at Roszko's place and used the repo guys to go into the quonset hut with them as legally they were not able to go in on their own and then they had to go and get a search warrant
I believe it was Roszko's mother who told her son that the RCMP were on his property.
In discussions between Roszko and his mother, he told her where his Will could be found.
At the Preliminary Hearing, Roszko's mother testified that she did not recognize the boys' names.
The quonset hut was not locked.
Unfortunately Shawn and Dennis did not read the Statement of Claim prior to signing it - they took the word of their lawyers as to what was written in there - hence the "mix up" between they saw the police cars on Roszko's property and what they actually said, which was they saw a light on in the mobile home and a car's lights - BIG difference!!
After Shawn and Dennis had given their pleas, they - plus all the other people who had been in the laywer's office were stunned at what was being read out in Court. THAT IS A FACT.

To the 'anonymous' with whom I have had some earlier question/answer activity. There seems to be a few 'anonymous' and 'Karen' contributors out there. Hard to know who is who. I am not the Karen who responded "Happy now, Mr. McIntyre".

Thanks for your response to my post. I am still perplexed where in law one can be charged with capital murder without absolute proof of intent/knowledge that a crime will be committed, especially when one is not present during the crime. If one can be charged based on the premise that one should have known that there was a possibility "something" could happen, shouldn't there be a time limit on how soon such crime is committed, ie. does the crime have to be committed within a day, month or year. We could therefore also apply this premise of should have known to the police themselves and wonder why they didn't prepare a little better. It could also apply to his aunt, mother and sister. What Shawn and Dennis should be charged with would be obstruction of justice. Yes they should have come forward with what they knew....stupid, for sure, but not worthy of a capital murder charge. Would they have prevented the murders if they had called that night? How can anyone possibly say. It would only be conjecture and hindsight. It is a frightening thought that we could be held equally responsible for a crime committed by someone else, should someone in authority deem that we should have known. In that light, there are those who also should have known that night that there was such a possibility. However, no one else has been held accountable.

I know all this is moot given that they have pleaded guilty to manslaughter. I am not convinced that their lawyers presented a good enough defence. It has been argued that because they gave him a ride back to the area that they are accomplices. Does it really matter how he got back there? He could have hitched, he could have driven his own truck, he could have got his mom or his aunt to give him a ride. The thing is he got back there. What is important is how did he get into that hut. Has anyone determined if the big doors to the hut were open all night? Where was the police car with the two members, parked? Did they patrol the building throughout the night. The fact that they found ammunition, knew of his penchant for guns, and still did not expect him to return shows that no one really expected,anticipated or predicted that he would do anything. No one could be expected to predict what happened. I daresay James himself didn't know what would go down. Shawn and Dennis said they dropped him off just past his mom's trailer...was anyone watching her trailer. It has been stated that she also disliked the police. It has also been recorded that she was the one who gave the police the names of the boys as participants in the grow op. Roszcko was in contact with her and his sister (and the aunty) throughout the evening...it seems a bit much to expect us to believe that not one of them asked where he was, who he was with, what he was doing, or if and how he was going to get back home. The calls stopped at midnight...why? It was also stated that his mother was watching his farm all night....why? Given his history I find it hard to believe that his mother was unaware of what he was or could be up to. To me the fact that there is a strong possibility that others also knew of his agitated demeanour and whereabouts that night is enough to show that others should also be considered culpable of not saying anything and should also be included in any charges laid.

Roszko did take the Hennessey rifle, but he didn't use it. He managed to get his own gun. Where was it stashed. It wasn't found during the night search..or was anyone even looking for one.

The reason for the death of the members seems to stem from his being able to avoid detection and get into the hut. We will never know if the hut itself was ever searched after the operation shut down for the night. The doors should have been closed and locked....were they?

As I said, this discussion is not relevant any longer but there are so many questions....namely, how did he get into the quonset undetected.

thanks for listening/reading. Happy to hear your thoughts.

Why did the RCMP set up a sting for Hennessey and Cheeseman? Sure they found the Hennessey gun at the site but that was explained by the elder Hennessey saying it was stolen from his truck. Why didn't they believe that. Why did the RCMP pursue this with such manpower and for such a long time? It is my guess that they already knew that the boys had driven James back that night....therefore someone else must have been aware of it also. Facts reported earlier show that James spoke to his mother as late as midnight that night. The Statement of Facts also states that she continued to watch the farm throughout the night. Is it possible that James told her who was bringing him home, and that she told the RCMP how he got back there. This is why there was such a relentless campaign against Hennessey and Cheeseman. If this is correct, then can we assume that Mrs. Fifield must share some responsibility also. Did James actually spend that cold night outdoors in a field? Or did he hole up somewhere close and where he could watch what was going on. Can we ever know what time he crept into the hut. If it was during the night, why didn't he take out the two members then...especially if this is what his intention was. Also, why didn't he drive his own truck back and park near his mom's trailer if his intention was a bloodbath that night....he went to a lot of trouble to get the truck out of the way...doesn't sound like someone who was planning to go out blazing, does it?

Another question puzzles me....did the RCMP know about the grow op? I find it hard to believe that Hennessey was the only person 'dealing' with Roszko in that op. Has anyone else come forward about buying (or selling)from him.

My thoughts are that Roszko was truly pissed off that night about what was going on at his home, but that the killing spree that followed was not part of his original plan.

Another thing that struck me as odd is that Hennessey and Cheeseman had to sign the Statement of Facts presented to the court...yet they were not present for most of the facts recorded. I didn't see any signatures of the mother, the aunt, or the bailiffs indicating that they were in agreement with 'facts' yet it was all recorded as true facts of the events that took place from 3 pm on the day before the shootings. This statement was then used by Judge Melnick to assist him in his findings....why did they have to sign it. They couldn't attest to anything that happened before Roszko showed up at their house, or after they dropped him off.

I don't believe that Hennessey and Cheeseman were the last ones to speak to Roszko that night. They just wanted to get rid of this guy...so they gave him a ride back to near his mother's property,...it was not as if they drove him to the front door of the detachment and watched him walk into the office with a gun.

It was a sad day for Canada and we can't bring back the fallen members but the collateral damage is still ongoing...i.e. the second lawsuit being brought.

It took a couple of days after the show to decide if they belonged in jail. yes they do. when he sold drugs for Roscoe, he became hooked to the guy like it or not. when they dropped him off they had an obligation to call the rcmp and tell them because he did the things at gun point. if nothing else when they found out that he was dead they should of come forward right away, and not lie to the rcmp and hide what happened. the Canadian judicial system is also at fault as they chose not to deal with a bully, however the story was about collateral damage not the actual individual. good story thanks, it makes it much clearer for the people that watched it.

It looks like this whole story is about to blown sky hi.I see the second mountie is suing his leaders in Mayerthorp for something thats also a secret.When will the familys of the fallen four finally do the same thing.This story is about to take a very wild twist as i see it.It has just been such a scapegoating affair to cover up the mess that was made by the so called leaders in Mayerthorpe on that day in 2005.Its time to step up to the plate and admit the shamefull decisions that were made before the conspiracy gets in the hands of the public.As far as the 2 boys that are rotting in jail,just release them before this all comes back to haunt you all.Is it not time to get the real story from Roskos mother to what really happened that night?

I wonder why CBC isn't posting my comments? I notice comments in sympathy with the CBC's angle; mine are not.
Is this in order to support CBC's bias?

just saw your show,collateral damage,on the i-net.i had no idea!our justice system from enforcement on up has botched this from before the day at the quonset barn and have continued to add folly upon folly ever since. these boys are not criminals.if the police had gone out to get roszko in the same manner they went to apprehend a tire salesman and his family,this would never have been a story.jrt.

To Karen from anonymous,

I posted a response a week ago; for some reason it was never posted. I hope they don't post that and this recap as well now...

Anyhow:

Yes, I am saying that the defense lawyers looked at all the evidence against d/s and decided that there was almost no chance that they would be considered 'not guilty.'

There were a number of reasons for this:
d/s knew Roszko had a a gun and they gave it to him. They knew he was very angry and therefore likely to hurt somebody, simply because angry people with guns are very likely to use them in a bad way.

Another fact that can not be disputed is that they did not come forward immediately after the massacre to say what happened. I beleive there were two years between the time of the murders and the arrests. This most certainly makes them look guilty. It removes any credibility they would have had if they'd come forward immediately; in which case the charges and sentence might have been much lesser.

Rather than have them go to trial in a case they would very likely lose, and which would result in longer sentences than they did get, their lawyers had them plead guilty to lesser charges of manslaughter.

This simply means that they would get shorter sentences and be let out much earlier. The lawyers did the best they could given the evidence against them.

The original charges were laid only after a great deal of investigation. Nobody gets charged out of the blue. Prosecutors had to look at all the evidence very carefully and decide which charges were most appropriate. Then, a judge had to carefully examine all the evidence before the original charges could be laid.

Why did you post "Happy now Mr McIntyre?" on Mar 11?

Happy now Mr McIntyre?

One of the fifth estate shows mentions a mountie by the name of Stadnyk who said "I knew one day I would have to kill James Roszco" This in regards to threats Roszco had made against him and his family..this individual was terrorizing the whole town..selling drugs to teenagers, and was a sexual pervert, and was even implicated in a murder, still the RCMP did not arrest him..They appears to be afraid of him. If they had done their jobs then the whole shoot up would not have taken place and four of their members would likely still be alive. The two S/D from Barrhead are just patsies to give the RCMP someone to put in jail. They never proved intent on the part of these two guys, and they never proved any knowledge they had of what was about to happen. As I see it they did not know.what was about to happen. Therefore that case should have been thrown out of court.. To pick fault, the courts for releasing Roszco on preious charges, and the RCMP for not arresting him again on the new charges.

To anonymous from Karen:

Are you saying that although there was a very, very strong possibility of conviction on capital murder charges, the prosecution opted to accept a lesser charge?

Why do you think they would do that? Either they were not as sure as you say, or did they realize that what these charges lacked was proof of intent by Shawn and Dennis. I think the whole crux of this case should be to prove 'did they know for sure what JR would do, and did they willingly go along with it, fully understanding the outcome'. If one can answer this with a resounding YES, then by all means the charge of capital murder was applicable. I just feel there is reasonable doubt on the issue of intent.

If you have any more insight on this case, I would like to hear it...as I said before, I have never been so involved in situation like this and I am interested in all points of view. Morally, I agree they are culpable...but legally, I am not convinced.

Karen

Dear anonymous... thank you for taking the time to reply back to my message to you... you did exactly what I thought you would do... You once again beleive no one has the right to express their opinions unless you agree with it... then you resort to name calling and condescending comments... I will not resort to your tactics...
Anonymous please read carefully:
A). I agree S/D should have contacted the RCMP... However I wasn't in their shoes... But I still beleive they should have contacted the RCMP once they knew Roszko was dead because the threat against them or their families was eliminated...
B). I feel the RCMP supervisors or senior officers should have known better than to have the 4 officers (one unarmed) securing Roszkos quonset and being right out in the open like sacrificial lambs... This is also supported to me by two retired RCMP officers that I asked as they indicated the RCMP officers should have been either inside of the quonset covering all entrances or a half a mile away to visually see Roszko if he returned and then call for back up before proceeding as Roszko had a violent and volatile history.
C). I feel great compassion for the fallen 4 family members as this was a horrible tragedy that will impact them the rest of their lives.
D). I feel S/D do deserve some jail time for obstruction of justice but not for second degree murder or manslaughter... I also feel anyopne involved in the case should be charged with the same as far as RCMP officer, Roszkos mother, the judges that set him free, the defence lawyers who kept getting him off...
E). The only person that knows the truth to what happened is a SOB coward that took his life and destroyed many lives.
F). I am NOT a cop basher or hater whatosever... i have a lot of respect and appreciation for police officers... However NOT incompetent ones who place police officers lives in danger... if anything my concerns are with the legal system as well the judges who continuously set free people like James Roszko...
To me this whole tragedy could have been avoided if Roszko was dealt with properly a long time ago...

I hope this clarifies to you what my thoughts are about this matter...

Take care and have a great day whoever you are!

dan

To Karen from Ontario,

Unfortunately for Shawn & Dennis, the charges themselves were the basis of the court case, which could not have gone ahead without grounds upon which to convinct them.

So, yes! There was a very, very strong possibility that they would have gotten a life sentence; as it stands they got a few years and should consider themselves fortunate.

Their lawyers did the best job they could, given the circumstances!

Hello Dan -
I referred directly to the comment that preceded mine - Ted indicated that those of us who are against your boys are mean-spirited.
However, justice is being done; and the boys' and their supporters need to face reality by admitting that the boys knew better than to let the massacre happen.

I think you people are mean spirited for not acknowledging that the families of the slain officers are far worse off than your poor boys and their families, friends and supporters.

Some of the behaviour - direct contact that I've had with one of the boys' supporters - has been very creepy.

This is why I think you people need to give it up now. I'm worried that the unreasonable behaviour of the D/S supporters will cause one of you to get carried away and hurt somebody - this is why I remain anonymous.

I see the boys and their supporters telling lies all the time; stretching the truth; and acting like whining little children. Like it or not, you're all continuing Roszko's cop-hating mandate.

I do not support the use of guns and rifles; nor do I condone violence. I support the RCMP and the Judge who sentenced these boys.

Please calm yourselves down; face reality; let it rest; let the dead rest; let their families get on with their lives. Grow up! All of you!

I have become fascinated with this topic and find myself reading all your comments daily. What we have to understand is that Shawn and Dennis pleaded guilty to four separate counts of manslaughter...each case is seen as individual, therefore the judge gave what he thought was a fair sentencing...2 - 3 years per member. What I find offensive is that their defence team was able to convince them both that this would be the wisest method to take. I sincerely believe there was no evidence (or legal requirement)that would allow the charge of capital murder to stand.

The questions I raise is if Roszko was so all fired up about 'killing', why did it take him so long to actually do it? If he was so gung ho on killing, why didn't he just drive his truck up to the farm, use the shotgun and get as many as he could? He obviously had the opportunity according to the timelines, but he only fired when cornered in the hut. If he didn't do it during a full head of steam...why did he wait for hours later, after being in the cold. The last call to his mom shows as 11:55, yet he did nothing until 10 am.

I have a lot of respect for the force and my heart aches for the families of the fallen boys and I know they weren't just 'rookies' as everyone seems to want to paint them. They would be fully trained and should have been aware of the nature of what they were doing. The docudrama "Mayerthorpe" seems to portray them as being more interested in the dogs than their surroundings. However, they obviously felt comfortable about entering the hut that morning...was a search ever done on and around the property for Roszko's H&K weapon? In all fairness, no one really anticipated just how far Roszko would go or anticipated that there might be a possiblity of his returning. Why wasn't a more strenuos effort made to find him given what they had discovered at his farm. It is possible that they were delighted that at last they had something that may stick and they never for one moment expected he would dare come back and try anything. No one could or should be held responsible for forecasting what Roszko would do...Shawn and Dennis were negligent in not phoning, and for not coming forward sooner, but to call it capital murder does appear to make a mockery of that particular charge under the Criminal Code. This very serious charge should be used only when it is obviously called for. As someone earlier said, there were others that could also be included as assisting, or as accomplices, such as the RCMP themselves, Roszko's mother and aunt. Should they not also have been reasonably aware that problems could arise?

It is a sad, sad situation for all. To blame anyone but J. Roszko only allows Roszko to once again get away with murder.

To anyone and everyone, there is a lesson to be learned...do not plead Guilty if you are not guilty. If our justice system works the way it is meant to, things should turn out right. Once you utter "guilty", there is no going back....you can't be 'guilty with an explanation, excuse or reason' so beware. Shawn and Dennis are paying a heavy price...but they will survive.

Hey "anonymous" on Feb 26th... Are we not allowed to express our opinions on this F.B. site? Is this not a democratic country... I am not a cop basher and in fact I have two realitves that are police officers and three friends who are police officers and my own son is considering being a police officer... My concerns about this whole tragedy is the incompetence of the men who made the decisions to put the fallen 4 officers life in jeopardy which resulted in their deaths... they knew how volatile and violent Roszko was and still didn't take proper action... Yet Shawn and Dennis are expected to make the right decision according to you... I agree that they should have called the RCMP once they knew Roszko was killed... But they didn't and now the RCMP has to have someone to place blame on... I also agree the two boys should serve from jail time for obstruction of justice... but for you to call anyone who has a difference of an opionion "You’re all a bunch of slimy hypocrites! Roszko would be proud of you, carrying on his cop-hating work!"... that tells me a lot about you "anonymous" 1). you don't even have the courage to place your name... 2). you are just like Roszko by using derogatory and condescneding names to try and bully people... so Roszko would be very proud of you too... give me a break whoever you are and stop trying to bully people for expressing their comments... You have the right for your opinion and i shall respect it... now do the same for the people who disagree with you...

Dan

Well said michael mahoney!!!I feel that these 2 guys should never had gotten the sentence they got at all.It was more less being at the wrong place at the wrong time,and now their lives have been forever changed.Yes I feel for the families of the RCMP that day should never had happened,but that man was obviously a time bomb waiting to go off and im sure the police were well aware of it also.Those cops should never have been just wondering around the property without dogs or backup.People can be easily manipulated or threatened by others especially when Shawn was just trying to protect his family and get him the hell away from there.He made a bad choice but he also never knew or expected something like that was going to happen..and god knows who ever really does know what the future holds..sometimes good people can be dragged into something they have no idea of whats about to happen.In this case I feel more for the familys of the boys and feel they should be able to be set free..

Last night I watched the movie "Mayerthorpe" and I made the effort to place myself in Shawn and Dennis's shoes that tragic night... i am almost 6 feet tall and weigh about 230 pounds and have been told I am as strong as an ox... Now Jimmy Roszko supposedly was about 5'6" 0r 5'8" in height and in his pictures looks like he barely met 150 lbs... Normally a man of my size and strenght wouldn't hesitate to manhandle Roszko if I came across him and he was trying to threaten me or my family... However after seeing Mayerthorpe and researching some of the information about Roszko and how he terrorized the community as well even had soem of the RCMP officers not want to deal directly with him... Well for all of you so called "heroes" that would have tried to take Roszko down when he had a gun on him and having a reputation of being a violent and volatile man... Where would you have liked me to send my condolences to your family members as they grieved your death or your family members deaths... Even watching the movie as well as reading all the facts to how 4 inexperienced fallen RCMP officers were placed with their lives in jeopardy I still shake my head in the incompentcy of this local RCMP decision... Hey I am the first one to feel empathy for the family members of the fallen 4... And I am the first one to say that Shawn and Dennis deserve some prison time... But if the same circumstances were dealt with me that night and I knew somewhat of Roszkos reputation and how he was always able to get away with it through the justice system... I know I wouldn't have attempted to take the gun from him and I know I would have give him the rifle and the ride to where he DEMANDED... Now as far as contacting the RCMP right after I dropped Roszko off... I know I proably would have... However this is easy for me to say as I have NEVER met Roszko... To me to make this whole situation correct and be dealt with justice would be to have Shawn sentenced to 5 years for his involvment of buying and selling of marijauna and obsturction of justice and to serve a third of this sentence...and for Dennis to be sentenced for 3 years in prison for accessory to obstruction of justice and serve a third of this time... Niether one of these two men are hardened criminals or a risk to the community... And yes Shawn did buy and sell pot but I am quite sure he would learn from this after serving some time in prison... As far as the RCMP supervisor who made that incompetent decision... Well I am sure he will carry that burden for the rest of his life and that is more or less a life sentence... As far as the judges who allowed Roszko to be set free each and every time... Well they two need to carry that burden for the rest of their lives... This also goes with Roszko's mother too as she knew after her phone conversation that her son was going to "take care of business" and didn't dial 911 to notify the RCMP... As far as the fallen 4 RCMP family members... If it was my son I would sue the RCMP for incompetence and placing your son in a situation that was not only life threatening but also it did happen... Unfortunately the only person that isn't being held accountable for this horrific tragedy that has effected so many lives is that coward SOB James Roszko... And he has still left his pain and vicitmization on not only the fallen 4 RCMP officers families but also on the the Cheeseman and Hennessey families...

I can only send my thoughts and prayers to the family members of the fallen 4 RCMP offciers... The Hennessey and Cheeseman family members as well as Shawn and Dennis... The RCMP officers that lost their co-workers/ RCMP family members and whoever else was impacted by this low life scum bag of a man called James Roszko... I honestly feeel this tragedy will continue to remain alive as long as the Shawn and Dennis are made as scapegoats for the incompetence of the decisions that were made not only by Shawn and Dennis but also by the RCMP members that day...

I have posted some other comments about my thoughts about this tragedy and I still stand by my belief that this whoel situation would NEVER have happened if the justice system that we have in Canada holds the real criminals accountable and the RCMP or other Police departments are supported for the efforts they try to do to keep the real criminals out off the streets... But I have seen and heard so many times how the police offciers hands are tied because once the criminal goes to court it is like a "crap shoot" for them to succeed in placing a criminal in jail where he/she belongs because of either the defence lawyers ability to somehow convince jury or the judge that their client is the victim and not the actual person who was victimized by the perpetrator of the criminal act... I question myself if Shawn and Dennis would have been represented by the crown prosecutor as their defence lawyer to see if they would have been sentenced to prison time or not...

I watched the movie "Mayerthorpe" for the first time last night.
What the hell was going on when a man (Roszko) can walk all over the laws of our land, have over 40 charges and only served 2 years.
Well you know who is serving Roszko's time Hennessey and Cheesman

What should be pointed out is that people had been phoning the police for years about Roszko and his threats . Roszko had been threatening to kill people around him for years. He hated the RCMP and they knew it. Then all of a sudden , at just the right time , Hennessey and Cheeseman are supposed to know that he may actually do it?
Trained police didn't prepare for the possibility but these two "accomplices" were expected to take care of it? Something doesn't add up here. The hate Roszko had for the RCMP was wrong , but the growing dislike Canadians are beginning to have for them is understandable. Many years ago the RCMP began caring more for themselves than for the public. Maybe with our failing justice system I don't blame them.

I read with disgust the several comments about the "meanspirited" sytem or individuals who moved these poor lads so far away from their families and loved ones.
It is truly a shame when all the poor lads assisted in doing was separate the four RCMP officers from their families and loved ones by "six cold feet of earth".
Suck it boys you should have got alot harsher punishment.

Ted and Deszo and S/D supporters:

I think this is a shame, all the people bashing the RCMP, and the way you’re using religious & fear of the afterlife to persuade others towards your narrow point of view. Hey, Deszo - aren’t you the same so-called minister or pastor whose Facebook entry was removed because of racism?

You’re using the RCMP as scapegoats for S/D’s cowardice, but when it comes down to it, everybody knows the boys are guilty and are getting what they deserve.

If they were as innocent as you all claim, they would have come forward immediately to tell police what happened. Instead, they hid the truth from the public because they knew what would happen to them. That gave them quite some time to concoct their lies about what happened.

Shawn’s wife knew just as Shawn/Dennis did that Roszko was going to hurt somebody with firearms. Why hasn’t she been charged? And why hasn’t Roszko’s mother been charged, since she also knew what would happen?

Dennis said directly on the Fifth Estate that he didn’t care, even though he knew Roszco had firearms, yet none of you pay attention to that very telling fact!

How many other people knew the truth? All of your should be charged for withholding evidence.

I am sorry to learn that the boys are being allowed to stay in Alberta now.

They don’t deserve to see their families…those RCMP officers and their families will never see one another again, and these guys could have prevented it! No excuses…if they were so afraid of Roszko, all they had to do was to report him to RCMP, pack up their families and leave town until things settled down.

You’re all a bunch of slimy hypocrites! Roszko would be proud of you, carrying on his cop-hating work!

while i think this is a shame all the people bashing these boys and for the brave rcmp mother you should be ashamed of what you said. I dont think many people understand who this rosco guy was and he should have been lock up by the police long before this ever happend. The police new he was bad and it was the own doings being there they new he was crazy and on the loose give your heads a shake and all the money to convict them.

To Dezso,
It seems that there have been many many mean-spirited comments written on this website and on the FB page...they all come from people who support "the boys."
How can you sympathize with a pair of cowards who could have prevented this tragedy simply by pushing 3 buttons on a telephone?

You should give it up and let the families who have been truly hurt - those of the slain officers - mourn and recover.

By continuing to whine and cry and lie about the story behind the very just sentence imposed, you people are demonstrating your own inability to see what the families of the dead are truly suffering.
Your pain is nothing, not even a drop in a bucket, compared to what those other families must be going through.
Consider yourselves fortunate to be able to see your loved ones again.

Dear Judge J. Forbes...

With your expertise and understanding of the "Agreed Statement to Facts" and your comments about "Because the RCMP screwed up in there operations that day. And because the officers who were assigned to the property were relative rookies." So why isn't the RCMP members who made that incompetent decision being held accountable for accessory to murder for the fallen 4 officers as they had more information and history of Rozsco than Hennessey and Cheeseman... Yet he or she or they made the decision to place 4 "very relative rookie officers" to be sacrificial lambs over a chop shop and grow op... Also what about Rozskos mom who received a phone call from her son indicating he did his will and he was going to take care of some business... Or what about the Judges who always let Roszko back into the community to continue to terrify people of Mayerthorpe or make death threats or sexually assualt young men... I believe Shanw and Dennis should serve some time but the length of time as well being moved out of province is complete revenge and ludicrous... To me all the people I have listed should also be doing time as they were just as much guilty of the deaths of these 4 fallen officers...
I have no anamosicty towards police officers and I have never had any dealings with the RCMP or City Police... In fact I have an uncle and a cousin who are city of Calgary police officers...

So let me get this right, Because the RCMP screwed up in there operations that day. And because the officers who were assigned to the property were relative rookies. That means that Cheesemen and Hennessey are less responsible for their actions? How can that be?

I do believe that their sentences fit their crimes. Do I believe that they should be incarcerated in other provinces?? no. Do I think they should have to serve out there punishments in Alberta?? yes.

The problem with our justice system is not that people are getting to much time when they are punished? it's that most people don't get enough time. I believe that with these two the punishment fits the crime, many other cases the punishment does not fit. not even close.
If you read the Agreed statement of facts, submitted to the courts at the time of their plea bargain. They admit to giving him the gun and a box of ammunition. also they admit to seeing the lights of the police cars when they dropped him off.

item 63 "Hennessey wiped the .300 Winchester Magnum rifle down; he provided it to Roszko as well as a box of ammunition intended for use in that rifle."

item 66 "Both Hennessey and Cheeseman knew that armed confrontation with the police was a real possibility and that the situation was clearly trouble."

The third sentence of item 70 "The two accused could see the lights from the police cars that early morning of march 03, 2005, and Roszko paused to pull socks over the outside of the boots he was then wearing."

I agree that there were many many mistakes made all through this investigation but I don't believe the sentence is one of them.

what ever happened to the new pickup mr.big bought for dennis the night before his arrest, and second one of 18 statements was "are u going to wack me" i take that as kill. but only the one stating that he and shawn heard Rosco say " he was going to get cops" was on every news for 4 days BEFORE judges sentence was handed down dont seem very fair to me -and to top it of that word in statement cost us as taxpayers first i heard 2 million then i heard lately over 10 who will ever know --.wonder who gets the star --pissed off in Barrhead

To Mr. J. Forbes... I too appreciate the police and thank them very much for putting their lives on the line of duty... however when they use revenge and entrapment to cover their own a***s for their incompetence i will not codone it... i have spoken to some of my city police and retired RCMP officer friends to get their point of view of the situation and what happend to Shawn and Dennis... It truly opened my eyes to what they said to me about what they thought about the injustice that was done...

I saw the following article in a recent Edmonton Journal and wanted to post it. The contents are so very true.

Hennessey, Cheeseman unfairly treated


The Edmonton JournalFebruary 21, 2009

Re: "Parole officer backs complaints of Roszko's helpers: Decision to split them up, send them out of province an 'embarrassment' to Correctional Services Canada," The Journal, Feb. 19.

It must have taken a lot of courage for parole officer Jay West to speak out about the decision to move Dennis Cheeseman and Shawn Hennessey to high-security prisons so far away from their homes and families.

In this day of inconsistent sentences and outright injustices in our court system, I am appalled at the mean-spirited approach that the justice system has taken towards these two men. The decision to send them to high-security prisons smacks of revenge.

The RCMP is also partly responsible for the deaths of four young Mounties near Mayerthorpe. Even after numerous run-ins with James Roszko, the RCMP failed to take seriously the viciousness of this man.

This case has been a terrible tragedy, with mistakes made by everyone involved. Let Cheeseman and Hennessey serve their sentences near their families. They will continue to suffer the consequences of their actions for the rest of their lives.

Marion Pritchard, Edmonton

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

These men are guilty of not notifying the police of Roszkos actions and I am sure they truly regret that. Do they deserve to be in jail for 12 to 15 years, absolutely not!! Why is it that the man that walked into an Edmonton nightclub, PULLED THE TRIGGER and killed 3 men gets a lesser sentence then these men?? Where is the logic behind that!!! I am amazed! I have all the respect for our officers and am thankful to have them protect us. I just feel that in this case someone had to get blamed for these poor mens murders and the RCMP was going to be sure it was not them. Truly sad. There are now 6 families suffering for this and all because one man should have been behind bars a LONG time ago. I think sexual abuse is enough reason for someone to be imprisoned and this would have never happened, dont you?

I am not a family member: But it is only too obvious that some people out there who have written in are no less cruel than was Jim Roszko. Well God bless you! you will definitely need it! Remember this life may be short, but not the hereafter! In fact your life is just beginning.

Writing in cruel spirited comments to hurt those whom the RCMP railroaded (meaning Dennis and Shawn and their family)- what happened in this situation is no less than what they did to Robert Dziekanski. Tasered 5 times - CORONER'S REPORT!! - How would any of them (the 4 officers)like to be tasered no less?? And then to see the officer - one of them on the witness stand deliberately lying his face off, despite the video tapes being played back to remind him of the facts! Does not say much for the force??! By the time they were trying to hand cuff Dziekanski took all of them to be on top of him: He had already fallen down with his arms underneath him -- and was very likely already unconscious?? Dah???
The situation regarding the Mr.Big operation re: Hennessey and Cheeseman,needs to be investigated and exposed the same way! Because that is the only way the corruption will ever be exposed. The way the RCMP is so good at cover-ups and incriminating people and to blame someone else for their wreckless, UNPROFESSIONAL and stupid mistakes. If they think things are going to get better for the 2010 Olympics - the way they have mishandled both these situations, as well as others: all I can say is Good Luck! They may just need it!
If the RCMP cannot come clean(I MEAN CLEAN)WITH THE WAY THEY CONTINUE TO MISHANDLE THESE SITUATIONS it makes many people wonder what other Mr. Big problems are yet going to come?? May God help us all!
All I can do is pray every day, "May God completely expose and bring down the wickedness and all the evil, that yet needs to be exposed"!

To J. Forbes re your comments of February 19th, and how you feel the sentences fit the crime.
#1. Shawn and Dennis never did admit to hearing James Roszko rant and rave about killing police officers. That story came about as a result of the 3.6 million Mr. Big Sting that they directed at Dennis (how well would you have stood up against them may I ask?).
#2. The boys never claimed to have seen police car(s) on Roszko's property, they said there was a light on in his mobile home and a set of headlights on but definitely never indicated that the police were there.
#3. As I understand it, the rifle Shawn was forced to give Roszko was not loaded.
Remember that on the day BEFORE the murders, the RCMP knew that they had a crime scene in relation to the "pot shop" and the "chop shop". They did not secure it adequately, they did not change the locks on the quonset, they didn't set up road blocks,and they didn't have a police dog on the premises that would have warned them that there was anyone on the premises.
The RCMP knew that Roszko had a violent history, was a well known cop hater and yet it was all right for those young Mounties to simply hang around and do what - wait for him?
No J.F., there are too many things that have not come out yet, we cannot agree that the boys deserved the sentences they received.

So I'm a very curious! Will "Mr. Big" be doing a sting operation in regards to the murder of the poor fellow Robert Dziekanski in Vancouver who was murdered by 4 RCMP members? As well will be setting up a sting in regards to the two fallen RCMP officers in Sask. who a fellow police officer is under investigation for murder for so they can pin these two murders on civilians?

HHHHMMMMNNNN!!!!!

So what is the answer??

There seems to be many esperts writing in to this forum. Experts in police brutality and experts in RCMP Conduct. So lets here what should be done to fix the problems?

I agree that the tasering of the man in Vancouver international was probably a mistake, But I don't see RCMP walking down the streets tasering everyone they come into contact with?

In an age where anybody that the RCMP come into contact with can be very dangerous they are understandable resistant to the idea of coming into close bodily contact with any one. They can get cut or stabbed by knives, kneedles or even bitten. Any of these can happen in an altercation with a seemingly un armed individual. Any of these can also lead to life threatening and career ending injuries or desease. So what should they do? Beat an aggravated person into submission with bats?? Maybe just shoot everyone they can't reason with?

To the person who wrote in claiming to have suffered police brutality at the hands of the RCMP I notice you didn't mention what lead up to your encounter with the police? Why was it that they had to deal with you in the first place? Were you just walking along the street on your way to church when some RCMP officers jumped out of a bush and tasered you?
Here is some advice that has never lead me wrong, when a police officer tells you to do something??? DO IT!! It greatly decreases the probability that you will be beaten or tasered or shot.

I understand that every police force is going to have some rotten apples, and they should be weaded out for sure. But who should investigate the police? Who? As it stands now most police detachments do not do investigations on their own detachments. Officers from other detachments often other cities will be brought in to investigate. So how can it be done better? and who should investigate the people who we set up to investigate the police?? because undoubtedly if this other regime that is set up to investigate the police finds against you on your case then you will want someone to investigate them.

The RCMP and the police forces around canada do hold their own members in a higher regard than most citizens and you will find that anywhere in the world. Any police force in the world will hold their own members in higher stature than the general public because they are the ones who are willing to do the dirty work while the rest of us complain about how it is done.

Thank you to all the officers out there, some of us appreciate what you do.

Barry,

The boys WILL see justice soon in the form of the sentence they are now serving and will continue to serve.

One lesson that should be learned from this story other than the injustice perpetrated against these two men is that the RCMP actually believe the life of an RCMP officer is more valuable than that of anyone else.When in the history of the RCMP did they make such an effort to find accomplices of a murderer? Why were the efforts of the RCMP to find additional guilty parties such a priority - is it because they are Royal? Many thousands across Canada believe it is high time to disband the RCMP.(Check the internet as this includes virtually everyone who has ever had any dealing with the RCMP) We have seen RCMP investigate themselves when charges are brought against them and inevitably they are absolved of all wrongdoing. Officers collect full pay sometimes for years while being investigated and then quit to avoid prosecution. An RCMP pedophile received paid leave while being investigated although he was caught redhanded.The average citizen would have been remanded in custody. We have seen with our own eyes as four gutless cowards (murdered) a distraught Robert Dziekanski. Thousands of complaints are filed and none of them are ever convicted of a crime. The odds just don't add up.
Growing up in the seventies and eighties I knew, personally, many members of the RCMP and they were good men and (women). Most are now ashamed to mention in mixed company they were ever associated with the RCMP. When foreign govt's warn their citizens about the RCMP what more proof do you need? When you can buy crack on the courthouse steps or have heroin delivered to your home faster than a pizza how much more evidence do you need ? They are self serving,incompetent and completely out of touch with reality. It's truly an embarrassment to the whole country. There are obviously many good, dedicated, hard working, men and women amongst them but if they stick together and cover for one another can any of them be trusted? I believe that if they keep this up an incident could happen that will make Mayerthorpe look like a picnic. It happens regularly around the world and people here aren't going to put up with them forever. As for the RCMP always getting their man - give your head a shake. There are sex slaves in Canada, drugs on every street corner, extortion, kidnappings, gun fights in broad daylight,the list goes on. This is a competent police force . I think not.

February 23, 2009

Correctional Services Canada
National Headquarters
340 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0P9

Re: Cheeseman and Hennessey convicted of second degree murder (Mayerthorpe Alberta) January 2009

Dear Correctional Services Canada,

I am “outraged” by the lengthy prison sentences these two men have received for their part in the Mayerthorpe deaths of a number of RCMP officers. I am also EXTREMELY disappointed by your decision to send Cheeseman and Hennessey out of province to serve their time. Neither individual had any prior criminal record and would not pose any flight risk. Both will be significantly negatively affected by spending time in these facilities (Stony Mountain and Prince Albert)…they are not hardened criminals. They also have families who will be inconvenienced by the long distances they will have to travel for visits.

Please transfer these two men back to Alberta to serve their time in a minimum facility.

Yours truly

John Hill

There is a lot more to this story than any of you have touched on. When the current and competent lawyers get a handle on what really led to this tragedy there will be shock and awe across this nation and some of you who have been so hard on these two young men will have some back-pedaling to do.

The first key element you're missing is how Roszko cultivated relationships with young men, including these two men. He was intrinsically evil. He was a violent, homosexual rapist. Some believe he murdered young men. It is almost certain that he did things that should have gotten him locked up for life. Those who say he should never have been loose in society are right. The criminal justice system is far too easy on guys like him.

The truth has yet to come out about why Hennessey and Cheeseman were so scared of this guy, the degree to which they were afraid of him and the extent to which that fear influenced their decisions the night before the murders.

Another thing that is assumed in all of this is the actual involvement of Hennessey in Roszko's criminal activities. We keep hearing it's there but we never hear what it actually was. Maybe Hennessy sold some weed but how would it have benefitted him if the Quonset burned down? What did Cheeseman stand to gain if Roszko bunt his place down? I think you'll eventually find out that the answer to both questions is "little or nothing."

How many times did people in that area call the RCMP to lodge complaints against Roszko and get absolutely no action? It was well known that calling the RCMP in Barrhead to complain about Roszko was a waste of time. Why call the cops and risk your family's safety when it was likely to fall on deaf ears?

The judge said he couldn't conclude that Hennessey and Cheeseman were afraid of Roszko and must have acted for other, ulterior motives, in giving him what he demanded, essentially one small step short of being at gunpoint. He is wrong and he will be proven wrong.

Be patient. Martin Luther King once said "the truth, crushed to earth, will rise again."

Where do I start? First off, I thoroughly pity those who are commenting in support of the RCMP. Are you all really that naive? These are the so called proffessionals we all pay taxes to train and act as such. For them to divert attention and blame to these young men is not only irresponsible, but CRIMINAL and far from professional. Were Shawn and Dennis publicly funded and trained to predict what MIGHT have occurred? No! Being associated with a murderer does not make you one!!! I've shared some time with a few sketchy characters,(just as capeable of what Roszko was) but in no way hold the same ideals or thought processes. As well, people like Roszko are not predictable. If anyone had an educated assumption of what was to occur, it was the RCMP. And just as you people who say the charges are justified by their lack of warning or the 4 yrs to tell the truth, the RCMP had EQUAL TIME to cohearse their own scapegoat plan and how it would executed and twisted in the public eye to suit their endgame. I am a victim in a CALGARY POLICE BRUTALITY and WRONGFUL TASERING. I am still in the process of seeking justice. But because I didn't go to the media and make it a public issue, they let their guard down and must have thought I would show to court asking how to take my punishment. The two so called " police officers" could not not have demonstrated a more thoroughly INCONSISTANT, UNJUSTIFIED AND UNETHICAL COURSE OF ACTIONS that led to my TASERING AND ARREST FOR ASSAULTING THEM!!!( which of course never happened, just their way of DIVERTING THE BLAME AND JUSTIFYING THEIR ACTIONS) If Justice IS actually served in my case, these "officers" will not only be stricken from EVER being a " PUBLIC SERVENT" ANYWHERE, but will be behind bars themselves. Seems to me the BIGGEST criminals are usually those in a position to manipulate the laws that most of us abide by. These are not public servants, they are GANGS WITH BADGES! We PAY THEIR WAGES to PROTECT AND SERVE!! Since when was the motto changed to SEARCH AND DESTROY. And SEARCH AND DESTROY was clearly the thought process behind blaming these two men for the RCMP's own shortcomings. What really bothers me is that the government is run by the same GREEDY, POWER-HUNGRY, LADDER-CLIMBING, MANIPULATERS as the police institutions, which leaves little to no faith that the justice system will ever serve the way it should. The officers deaths are an extreme tragedy and should serve the RCMP as a reminder of how NOT to approach a similar situation. FINAL THOUGHT TO ALL POLICE AGENCIES: GET RID OF THE DAMNED BAD APPLES!!! STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR THEM, STOP REASSIGNING THEM! PROSECUTE THEM!!!!!!!!!!! AND MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, YOU WILL HAVE GAINED A TINY BIT OF PUBLIC RESPECT BACK AT LEAST FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DESERVE IT !

Re: Barry Hennessey
The answer to your question is more than obvious, these two individuals have been moved out of province to make it as inconvenient as possible, when it comes to visitation by their families. Our justice system has a deplorable record, especially where the RCMP are principle investigators and until we as Canadians develop a means of oversight for these so called guardians of the law, there will be little hope, when it comes to justice.
The RCMP have taken it upon themselves to " be the law " and when they or their methods become entangled in wrong doings or untruths, they are left to investigate themselves ( laughable to some but not to those who suffer the consequences of these deliberate
unlawful acts.) There are no rules for the RCMP and this nation appears to be strewn with crown attorneys who are more than willing participants, in the deceptions and wrong doings that enable charges to be laid. Often both parties build a case knowing full well the evidentiary procedures have been falsified or are concealing evidence, that would ultimately clear the accused.
As a simple exercise,take a moment and google " History of RCMP Wrong doings Canada".

My heart felt best wishes go out to all the victim's families, including Mrs.Roszko. To Shawn's immediate household, " you are in my families thoughts " and good things are in your futures,of that we're sure.

In regards to the RCMP, until "integrity" and "honor" are re-introduced into your policy's and your inter-actions with the Canadian public, you will not receive the respect the uniform, once so proudly deserved.

I remember the last documentary dealing with the Mayorthorpe shootings, during a undercover investigation by the RCMP aliases were used such as "Mary". The girl who seduced the young Dennis Cheeseman. I do think I have the name right but on the last documentary "collateral damage" names wern't used for "legal reasons" as Lyndon Macintyre stated. Seems very unusual that this should happen, after all what's the big deal. It's not like real names were exposed. If she really was a undercover cop or someone who freelances her services when needed. Mind you it's always a tragedy for anyone to be gunned down in such a horrific manner. But there are many people including the media think there are too many unanswered questions on the RCMP's handling of the case.

"Not a Shawnessy or Cheeseman Family Member" (Feb 18th post) says these men are guity as "if they had not helped Rozsko (whether they were coerced or not) by giving him a gun and a ride and NOT calling police - then 4 RCMP officers very likley would not have been killed". Wake up! Do you REALLY think that Rozsko (who already had a gun on him, and did not need nor use Hennessey's rifle in the murders) would NOT have made his way back to his place somehow had Hennessey not driven him back? I can think of several different scenarios (some even more bloody) that would have seen Rozsko end up right where he was the following morning. I can also think of MANY scenarios where, if people had done things differently - the officers would not have died; especially what the police could have done that would have prevented the disaster! So why aren't the police "accomplices"?

The "name" you use in this forum suggests you're under the impression that anyone who supports Hennessey & Cheeseman must be related to them (WRONG again!); does that mean we should assume that anyone who DOES NOT support Hennessey & Cheeseman must be related or have ties to the victims or the RCMP who bungled the case?

You sure like to jump to conclusions!

I really do feel for the families of everyone who was impacted by the Mayerthorpe Massacre. I feel for the families of the mounties who were gunned down. and I feel for the families of the two boys who are now doing time for their part in the crimes.
However I do feel that the charges and the sentences do fit the crime. They have admitted to hearing Roszko rant about hating the police and getting even with them, they also admitted to seeing the police car on Roszkos property when they dropped him off on the outskirts with a loaded rifle.
Now whether or not they were forced to give Roszko the gun doesn't really matter that much. If Roszko had a gun to their heads and forced them to do everything he said it doesn't change the fact that they did absolutely nothing to prevent this once Roszko was gone? They admitted to discussing calling the police and deciding not too. According to their statement of facts they dropped Roszko off between 1:30 and 3:00am. That left atleast 7 hours before the shooting started.
Whether they were forced or coerced into doing it doesn't really factor into anything for me because they had ample opportunity to right the wrongs and they didn't. They are just as guilty as Roszco.

Tragic as it is, the story related about the young Mountie's mother laughing at Sandy Hennessey is true. My daughter also was a witness to this occurrence and related the story to me. What can we say - she lost her son, but has also been told a lot of untruths that she has been willing to listen to. In time, justice will prevail and hopefully she will realize the error or her actions - cruel and spiteful yes, but the Hennesseys have lost just as much and have not resorted to such hateful tactics.
This morning I heard that a parole office from Edmonton strongly objects to Shaw and Dennis being split up and sent out of Alberta to high-security prisons - thank you for speaking up and letting yourself be heard. All of us who realize this is yet another travesty of justice thank you for your wisdom and bravely, as I am sure this will cost him dearly.
Secondly, to hear that Lawyer Hersch Wolch who helped free David Milgaard and was part of the legal team that got StevenTruscott acquited of rape and murder charges is now on board hopefully will turn this around and the truth will finally be allowed to told.

I feel sad for Hennessey and Cheeseman as well as for their families. The RCMP was incompetent in handling the James Roscoe issue and needs to extract punishment from these two individuals. They take no responsibility for their actions but rather blame Hennessey and Cheeseman for aiding Roscoe. I have no respect for the RCMP...none whatsoever. The sentences that Hennessey and Cheeseman received were unbelievably excessive. Recently, a native woman from Labrador received house arrest for killing two people while driving drunk...house arrest? What a joke. Hennessey and Cheeseman need to have their sentences drastically reduced and serve their time in a minimum security institution close to home. Yes...they made mistakes. If I had a Roscoe in my life threatening my family, I might have done what Hennesey and Cheeseman had done. Does anybody know where I can send some money for legal expenses for the appeal process for these two men?

As if this entire story is not ugly enough, wait until you read this. A spectator sitting in the courtroom on the day that Hennessey and Cheeseman were sentenced shared this story with a friend of mine, and I have no reason to doubt it.

Shawn's parents had the wind knocked out of them when the judge announced his sentence. I'm sure they didn't expect to hear what they did and were devastated by the news; however, the mother of one of the slain officers took great satisfaction in hearing the judge's ruling. She (it's tempting to mention her by name) reportedly took that opportunity to look Shawn's mother in the face and laugh! Yes, you read that correctly!

If there is an element of truth to this story I can only conclude this individual has lived a miserable, vindictive life. If not, she undoubtedly will from this point forward. Rest assured the only peace she will find will be when she leaves this earth ... and Roszko is waiting for her!

The final insult to this story is sending Hennessey and Cheeseman to Saskatchewan and Winnipeg. It's clear this was a deliberate act to ensure their families have little opportunity to visit them given the distance and cost incurred to make the trip.

WHEN will these boys see some justice? Isn't it possible to at least have them returned to Edmonton while the appeal process begins?

More importantly, WHEN are the RCMP going to be forced to acknowledge all the mistakes they made and be held accountable? Canadians need to have their faith in the justice system restored and regain a degree of respect for the 'good' men and women representing the RCMP.

"Yo" says:
"Seems many people are missing the point here... that being: are Hennessey and Cheeseman responsible for the murders of 4 officers? "

THEY ARE ACCOMPLICES - if they had not helped Rozsko (whether they were coerced or not) by giving him a gun and a ride and NOT calling police - then 4 RCMP officers very likley would not have been killed - SO yes they are responsible!!

"Just because they may have been involved in other criminal activities (like selling pot) does NOT equate to being responsible for Rozko's murderous rampage. "

The level of 'coercion' they assert to have been subjected to is tempered by the level of guilt and need to help Rozsko because of there criminal engagement with the man. THEY ARE GUILTY/RESPONSIBLE of aiding and abetting a man that killed 4 people, period.

A Big Thank you to all the people that are out there and in support of both Shawn and Dennis and the family: As well as Fifth Estate for doing a good job, in exposing as much of the truth as they have been able. The RCMP need to be investigated for their incompitancy for not handling the situation with Roszko properly in the first place and not arresting him - and going after him -- the way they should have: 4 mounties would be still alive today and both Shawn and Dennis would not have been blamed for the tragedy the RCMP created, It is time to put the blame where it belongs and maybe those responsible should be behind bars as well. Like how can anyone live with themself, knowing that they were responsible for the death of those 4 men for putting them in harms way: Especially the Top Gun who sent the 4 unfortunate mounties to their death. Why have they not been exposed and tried?? Your probably older and too close to your retirement and that would also tarnish the impicable record and/or image you have. Well God bless you and hope this entire fiasco can come out on top for all those who have been wrongly blamed for someone else's stupid mistake! I actually feel sorry for whoever was responsible -- because you have succeeded in hurting too many people and also messing up too many lives, as well as your own! How Sad!
How wonderful it would be if you trully were able to come forward - and set the record straight -- and live the rest of your life having a Good Conscience.

First of all the support is appreciated. The boys will see justice one day soon. I do respect the familys of the fallen 4 officers but wonder each day what there thoughts are about these 2 boys who should be home with there familys. I wonder if they are allowed to comment or say how they feel?Speaking of family day Feb 16th in Alberta was a day we call Family Day. I received this letter from a person unknown. Please read and shed a tear as i did.

A Family Day Message

It is February 16, 2009, Family day, a declared provincial holiday in the province of Alberta, Canada, known to us as the greatest place to be born, raised, and have the good fortune to live. Yes, that is what I thought last night when I went to bed. Dawns this new day (family day) I wonder where I woke up, Alberta? Canada? Land of the free? Could this be the same place I went to bed last night. I wonder this a.m. as I browse the internet while having my morning coffee to find out that Shawn Hennessey and Denis Cheeseman on this very day is on their to other provinces to serve their sentencing. Why I ask myself, don’t we have our own facilities in this province? I instantly get a stomach ach. I am an ordinary citizen
of this province living an ordinary life probably not unlike those of you reading this message. Instantly my brain gets totally filled with questions at the information I have just read on the computer. Who could be making these decisions? How? Why? And now the tears that flood my face and I can’t control them like a tap that will not turn off, I can no longer visually see my computer screen. I suddenly can not focus on anything, anything that is except two little girls. Two little girls who have done nothing to anyone except be little children living a child’s life in and adult world. These particular two little girls are the daughters of Shawn Hennessey and now I wonder has anyone involved in making these decisions to send their daddy to Saskatchewan to serve time, taken a minute to think of them on this family day. Now more questions in my head. These children are citizens of this province and of this country yes? In our country, their country Canada we protect our children don’t we? They have rights too! The Canadian charter of rights protects everybody doesn’t it? The children, the elderly, the homeless, the rich, the poor, the white colors, the blue colors, the incarcerated, the colors of our skin whatever they may be, the disabled and those that are able and so on and so on. Now these same two little girls will get to travel six hours one way, that is six hours if you don’t stop to eat, or pea, or have a stop because we’re bored, or the stopping because mom its taking forever, to visit their daddy. I sit here this morning in front of my computer and I think, I’m of pretty average intelligence, I am educated, I am a tax paying citizen and I respect and live within the law. I have raised three children to be good citizens of their community and to respect the laws of their country also. So then I wonder why can’t I reasonabley in my head figure out why or how this could be happening. When I think it through in my head it is not about Shawn or Denis, lawyers or police forces, those who think of innocents or those who think of guilt, this is about the human rights of two little girls. The same rights that tells us as a Canadian society that these girls will eat today because it is the law to feed them. They will go to bed tonight in warmth because it is the law to provide them shelter. They will go to school tomorrow because it is the law to educate them. Until today I thought they also got the right to love and maintain a relationship and have visitation rights with their daddy even if he’s incarcerated. Is that true? O yeah they can, they will just have to travel twelve or fourteen hours round trip on the weekends to do so. If your reading this message and you can help me understand, or explain it to me so that I get it please do. Better yet if you can explain it to the two little girls of Shawn Hennessey do that instead.

Barry Hennessey

Seems many people are missing the point here... that being: are Hennessey and Cheeseman responsible for the murders of 4 officers? Just because they may have been involved in other criminal activities (like selling pot) does NOT equate to being responsible for Rozko's murderous rampage.

Consider your own lives: have you ever jay-walked, driven under the influence, or committed ANY infractions of the law? Should it then be ASSUMED that you are therefore capable of rape, armed robbery, murder? It is a HUGE LEAP to make such assumptions!

Seems besides being intimidated into driving Rosko home the NIGHT BEFORE the murders took place, Hennessey & Cheeseman's biggest errors (with respect to THIS case) were covering up the fact afterwards. While that may make them guilty of obstructing an investigation, it does NOT make them guilty of murder!

Just how likely is it that Hennessey & Cheeseman KNEW beforehand what Rozko would eventually do? Surely if Rosko stated his murderous intentions, they would have notified the Police once he was out of their vehicle and no longer an immediate threat to them.

But (for the sake of looking at it from both sides) WHAT IF Rosko voiced his murderous rage and they did not report it (perhaps not taking him seriously)? Are they THEN responsible for Rosko's actions? If so, then EVERYONE with simular knowlege about other such THREATS must thus be responsible for others actions as well, right? If so, then why are the RCMP, Police and Courts not held accountable for (for instance) the abuse and deaths of women murdered at the hands of men with violent, murderous histories (some with restraining orders on record); why are known offenders and threats to society set loose on society and no one is accountable when the offend time and time again! Seems if we are out to make those who "should have known" responsible for the actions of others, we should not stop with Hennessey & Cheeseman!

But alas, their is little blood-lust in the public eye to lay accountability on those "who should have known" for the murders of women and children! Face it: if Rosko had gunned down four Aboriginal people it would have been a story for a week and then just drifted away!

It is clear that Hennessey & Cheeseman have been scapegoated (and conned into pleading guilty with the bait of lesser time - which did not occur) as the RCMP failed to protect themselves (this time) from a known threat! This is only new in that it happened to their own. It has happened to "civilians" many times. If they are guilty because they should have realzied the threat; then so are the RCMP (many times over)!

What I find most disturbing is the fact that in looking for others to punish for his crime, Rosko seems to be made less accountable for his actions! It is time people accepted the fact that the RCMP failed (yet again) to protect from a known threat; however the responsibility for the deaths of the four officers sits squarely on the shoulders of the man who fired and killed them - Rosko!

Have you heard that the "MR BIG STING" operation is going down under to teach the Australians how its done, if there are CHEESEMENS & HENNENSYS "Down Under" you better run for your lives.
I hope Chris & the children have their Husband and Dad back soon and also your brother Chris

Firstly I must open by saying that I am greatly sorry for the wives, girlfriends, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children, all the relatives and friends of the RCMP Constables that were murdered at Mayerthorpe and also the two RCMP officers murdered in the NWT following the Mayerthorpe massacre. One must also realize that a career in the RCMP and the Military can be dangerous carriers. These young people must be trained to realize the danger of their professions so they can grow up to being good leaders in their senior years of their careers. Leadership is a very very important part of good man management and perhaps at the Mayerthorpe massacre leadership must be questioned. I read an article in the paper the other day entitled, "Who was In Charge?" Yes sending four young Constables out to a very potential murderer's residence instead of arresting him when he was unprepared and unarmed, perhaps in town getting his mail or groceries would be more prudent. The RCMP in Mayerthorpe had full knowledge of this person; were actually afraid of him as they knew how dangerous he was. They should have ensured they new where their adversary was, before they went out to his farm with no excuses and they didn't.
It is very clear to me that the arrest and more so, the way the RCMP arrested and interrogated the two men, Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Chesseman was done for the sole reason of vengeance because the RCMP needed an scapegoat to cover up their irresponsibility, lack of good leadership and mostly mistakes they made prior and during the Mayerthorpe massacre. I must also say that I have deep sorrow for all the families of the 100 +++ Canadian Soldiers that were killed in Afghanistan. I am thankful that the Canadian Army is not vengeful towards their killers in Afghanistan.
I grieves me to no extent that our Justice System has come to this but I shouldn't be surprised because it is just a continuation of what started a long long time ago. It was the RCMP who hung Louis Riel after the RCMP massacred the Métis at Duck Lake, Sask.. It was the RCMP who unjustly murdered 3 and wounded 50 demonstrators during the Estavan Coal Minors strike rally… It was the RCMP who hung the eight innocent native people in Battleford, Sask. all at the same time on one big hanging gallows for the sake of influencing their power over the Indians after the Cutnife, Sask. battle… Today they remain buried in a small uncared graveyard at the bottom of the hill where there is an RCMP graveyard that is very well cared for on the top of that hill.
I guess I could go on and on and on, notwithstanding their latest developments using Mr. Big which is a criminal tactic used to coerce innocent victims into false confessions. The female RCMP officer who coerced Dennis Chesseman info a false confession will have to live with her guilt for the rest of her life. Her moral injustice she committed will mentally plague her mine for the remainder of her life if she hasn't destroyed her conscience. To rectify this injustice I think the RCMP must be in full uniform when interrogating suspects at all times…
Even our top RCMP in Ottawa was dismissed or fired not too long ago for his unjust actions. All one has to do is read the newspapers or look up on the Internet to see how the members of our police forces are really criminals. I guess they know how to break the law because they know the law and how to get away with it. I am happy with the latest curtailment of their use of Taster weapons by the Canadian Taser Inquiry, but afraid of their defiance. Will they resort to using their pistols instead? Will have more murders to contend with, since virtually none of the murders that our policemen are committing lead to any worthwhile prosecutions or punishments. Incidentally the RCMP investigate their own murders, a horrible conflict of interest!
If one reads the Internet press releases and the results of the Inquiry about the Robert Dziekanski murder at the Airport in Vancouver, BC and what transpired there you can realize the RCMP are extremely defiant and arrogant about the publics reaction in this case. The RCMP have not accepted or will not accept any blame for his death. This is also very apparent in the Hennessey / Cheeseman case. As long as he RCMP are defiant, vengeful and investigate their own murders it will keep happening. Look at all the innocent people that have been released from our Canadian prisons in the last few years because of wrongful convictions and the withholding of evidence from our court by the RCMP and other Police forces.
Our justice system is in drastic need of repair for it has undoubtedly become our injustice system headed by the RCMP, other Canadian Police agencies, Lawyers, Judges and Politicians. Unfortunately I don't ever see it being repaired because our justice system is too close the people who make our laws in the Federal Government. Let me be very clear, I don't think all Policeman, lawyers, Judges and Politicians are bad, but the percentages are all wrong. The RCMP are not doing a good enough job of getting rid of their bad ones.
My only hope is that Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Chesseman, two innocent young men are released from jail and given proper restitution for the injustice that was coerced upon them. They certainly don't deserve what they got. The RCMP have doubtfully instilled severe mistrust in these two men that will be with them for the rest of their lives.
When I was young person just out of High School I almost joined the RCMP and at that time they were respected by the general public. I am very happy that I did not join the RCMP as I feel very ashamed at what they have done in this case and many other criminal cases. I can never respect the RCMP and I would like to suggest that the Queen should remove the "Royal" from the name Royal Canadian Mounted Police because they are Canada's disgraced police force and don't deserve the "Royal" in their title.
I walked across the street in Regina, Sask and joined the Canadian Army of which I have retired from. To this day I am very proud of my service in the Canadian Forces and I am sure the majority of Canadians are proud of the job our Canadian Forces have done Peace Keeping in various places of the world and the job they are doing in the War in Afghanistan. I was part of that!!

I agree with those writers who feel that the RCMP are using Shawn and Dennis as scapegoats in order to draw attention away from their own errors in judgement. The families of the four slain officers and all active RCMP officers should be disappointed with the slain officers' supervisors for sending them unprepared into an extemely dangerous situation, as well, they should be disgusted with a judicial system that would allow an individual as dangerous as Rosko to be free in the first place. If the RCMP were unable to forsee the danger a trip to Rosko's farm might entail and conduct themselves accordingly - how could anyone expect untrained individuals like Shawn and Dennis to deal with someone like Rosko. The undercover operation used was an injustice to say the least. Rosko murdered four RCMP officers and now these two young men are expected to go to jail for those murders. I have so little faith left in our Canadian justice system and am surprised that some people writing have expressed such anger and blame towards Shawn and Dennis. I feel pity for Shawn and Dennis and contempt for our justice system. Jim Rosko is the only one to blame in this tagedy. My sincere sympathy to all those involved.

There are many many good points made in the hundreds of comments on this site both on the side of and against Hennessey & Cheeseman. The one point I don't see discussed is the point that Hennessey inadvertently madr. Roscoe told him the hunting rifle was to be used to shoot a gas tank and start a fire to destroy the marijuana crop. He also says Roscoe told him there were a couple of Sherif's(?), (or agents of some kind on the property confiscating something else). When H&C dropped Roscoe off across the field, he tells us he didn't see any flashing red and blue (RCMP) lights so they didn't know the RCMP were there. He also tells us they could only see a pair of headlights and lights on in the trailer.

OK, so: by their own admission they knew someone was on Roscoe's property and they knew Rosco was planning on using a gun to shoot at a gas tank to start a fire on the property. Even if we believe the story that they didn't know the RCMP were there, that part doesn't matter. They knew someone was on the property, and whoever was there was going to be in harm's way.

With that alone, they had an obligation to call the RCMP and warn them of what Roscoe was up to. By not calling, they are guilty of accessory to whatever the results are.

This show never ceases to amaze me with the bias it contains. It also never ceases to amaze me how the public loves to crucify the police and justice systems based on one TV show rather than review all the actual facts.

Even looking at this show alone, we see a man who admits to illegally selling drugs and to lying to officials being portrayed as a victim....doesn't that seem a little fishy to anyone but me?

Then upon observing the comments, I see people saying the police are to blame for the killings, that they should have been more prepared for Rosco. Perhaps if Shawn had picked up a phone and told them a mad man with a gun was in the vicinity, they would have been more prepared for him.

Come on people, let's stop jumping on these conspiracy theory band wagons with a mouthful of opinions based on biased reporting. Inform yourselves with the facts....the "news" programs are obviously not going to do it for you.

I think I should reply to one of these absurd people, brenda, Ava . .
Ava quoting me and then 'responding':
"Most of us have had to make difficult decisions under fearful circumstances and would NOT make the same decisions before and after these events which these two criminals did." I'm sorry, but I truly doubt you have EVER been faced with a similar situation.... an angry man with a gun asking you to drive him home when your daughters lay sleeping in the same house (and knowing if he found out you warned the cops that he will likely cause deadly harm to those you love)? In fact, I say that that statement is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Life is not a movie, though you might like to think it is. People like to think they're tough. . . "

OF one thing you are right AVA - NO I have never "EVER been faced with a similar situation.... an angry man with a gun asking you to drive him home when your daughters lay sleeping in the same house (and knowing if he found out you warned the cops that he will likely cause deadly harm to those you love)?" - BECAUSE I have not welcomed that kind of person into my life by being an accomplice to dealing drugs with them!

WHo is making the DUMB remarks? these two men CHOSE to deal drugs with Roszko, no one made them do that and they did that despite have young families that they jeopardized by being involved with a crimnal like Roszko. Give your head a shake.

I watched the program with interest. I was shocked when I learned that the two young men decided to plead guilty to manslaughter-and were found guilty. Guilty of what-poor judgement, stupidity, trying to protect their family?
What were the police doing on Rosco's property to begin with? The pick up truck the baliff came for was gone, why did the police hang around? Why didn't they try and find the truck and owner? The grow op wasn't going anywhere. Why was one office unarmed? There are a lot of unanswered questions on the police's part.
I find the sentences of 15 and 12 years outrageous. This is not justice. It is the police looking for soemone to blame for their outrage at losing their fellow officers. There is no way Hennessey or Cheeseman knew what was going on inside the killer's head.

There are too many Mr. Big, frame ups happening in this country. Police undercover set ups and entrapment should be illegal.

Fact is these two guys really had no idea what Rosco was going to do. Lending a firearm to a farmer is not unusual.

Rosco had a reputation for intimidation not murder!

If they knew Rosco was going to shot at police, and didn't warn the police then they maybe partially guilty but that is not the case.

These two guys had nothing to do with the outcome. The police themselfs should realise that.

So now that another wife , 2 more small children and two young men have had their lives ruined is the rcmp pleased with their investigation ?
What happened at mayerthorpe was a terrible tragedy and my heart and prayers go out to the loved ones of those four young mounties who were killed .
I have to disagree with the way the mounties have handled this situation .
Resnick had terrified this town for years , he was unstable and like a previous writer the mounties themself were scared of him .
Where does the accountability with the supervising mounties lay . was it really necessary to have these young men creeping around this lunatics quanset at 4.oo am . What couldn't wait a few more hrs til daylight ,
I'm sure there are many ways to handle a unstable suspect .
I am not pointing blame , just that these two young men were scared for their own lives , and hennesseey of his young family . Its so easy to say what we would have done in their situation but lets hope we never have to find out .
The real criminal here is Resnick , an evil man that instead of just ridding the world of himself took for young mounties with him !! I hope he burns in hell for his evil deeds but I don't think that our society is any better of by having hennessey and cheeseman in jail . I agree they deserved some punishment but this was way to extreme . How much of the taxpayers dollars were spent on this 2 yr investigation ??
I live in Calgary , alb and constantly have to read about gangsters that get out on bail for major crimes , fight deportation for yrs and continue to wreak havoc with their criminal activity all over the city . lets put more money and resources in keeping these criminals in jail or out of or country .
In closing my sympathies to all involved !!! lets hope that horrible day never be repeated !

In this case as in many others I believe the police just did not get it. They performed this operation roughshoddely. Perhaps they should have tazered Roscoe years ago.

Why is everyone saying that Henessey & Cheeseman had numerous opportunity to alert the police or stop Roszko altogether??

The RCMP THEMSELVES said that Roszko was of no real threat to the community. That came out of their mouths. So when 4 mounties get killed, suddenly that statement made by the RCMP doesn't really matter and gets tossed out the window?

That is the biggest laugh I have heard yet. It's so obvious to anyone that the RCMP screwed up on a massive scale with this one and if you think they're incapable of such screw-ups, just look in any paper across the country and see for yourselves.

The first problem for the RCMP is admitting they have a problem - which they do with this case - a HUGE problem, but knowing them, they would rather die than admit any wrong-doing so you can only beat that one to death for so long. The other option is to expose them -especially their actions pertaining to this case.

The RCMP, knowing full well how bad they screwed up knew that the real criminal (Roszko) was dead, but unfortunately that would leave them open to too many questions regarding their processes. If they could just find someone else to implicate in this crime, that would take the heat off their incompetence and put it directly on the scapegoat.

And that is exactly what they did. Those so-called convictions are based on a collassal waste of taxpayer money ($2 million to catch these guys in a "sting" - how very James Bondish of the RCMP), and are based 100% on circumstantial eveidence. Not to mention the RCMP probably lied over and over....so if they can lie, why can't Hennessey and Cheeseman? What's good for the goose is good for the gander and knowing full well that these guys had nothing to do with this event, the RCMP was lying for sport - so typical.

I would imagine that if these guys were "really" involved, there would be a lot more evidence rather than "hear-say" and "what-if's" and "the potential too's". What a load of crap; I know it, the RCMP know it, former RCMP officers also know this and have spoken out against it.....its a joke and I hope Hennessey and Cheeseman not only get out, but come back to sue the RCMP for their continued stupidity.

The families of the 4 members should be suing them as well, and probably were well on their way too (suing them) until the RCMP wisened up and thought to themseleves "wow, 4 of our guys are dead, we don't know the right hand from the left, we're going to get sued by the 4 families because we screwed up so bad that this happend, and now we need to find a way out"

Now they've managed to screw up 6 families with their incompetence and stupidity. Get rid of them and don't believe the lies that come out of their mouth.

Reading some of the previous comments, it now appears that some people are "under duress". In other words their being forced to do something against their will. Just like Hennessey & Cheeseman pleading guilty to the charges brought against them. What was one of the main reasons for doing so? Because they couldn't afford to defend themselves. Wait a minute - aren't they now appealing their convictions? How does that work? They had no cash to defend themselves prior to pleading guilty but they have cash now?

No....WAIT! "We only plead guilty because we had poor legal representation." Aren't the excuses getting old? I'm sure at some point during their defence they will end up admitting their role, but blaming a poor upbrining for their impulsive decision making. At what point will these two accept responsibility for their actions and pay the piper? My guess is never - typical convict.

Let's once again review the FACTS. A local drug dealer (Henessey) who's peddling dope to the local kids decides to team up in an ILLEGAL grow-op with a known and convicted pedophile (Roszko) to further his criminal enterprise. Are we all in agreement on this?

His half-wit brother-in-law (Cheeseman) WILLINGLY participates in criminal activity with what he thinks are bona fide criminals. Anyone disagree with this point?

The half-wit brother-in-law (Cheeseman) wants to impress his "criminal" cohorts and while NOT under duress (in other words of his own free will), decides with a bit of prodding to admit to his and his drug dealing brother-in-law's (Henessey) involvement in the worst police massacre in Canadian History.

Criminals are criminals for a reason - becuase they're too damn stupid to do anything else and they can't even get being a criminal right. The only thing that these two did right were go running to the CBC to try and garner public support. It would appear that even that has failed.

What if the RCMP used this same tactic to catch a serial pedophile, rapist or serial killer. Would the public bemoan the tactics of the RCMP and demand that the killer be set free? Not on your life. What would you do if a pedophile showed up on your doorstep when your family is home & demanded you hand over your weapons? You'd do what the law allows you to do when you feel threatened in your own home - you'd blow his head off. Unless of course you didn't feel threatened and wanted to coverup the criminal enterprise you were involved in.

Henessey & Cheeseman had numerous opportunity to alert the police or stop Roszko altogether. They took the cowards way out by aiding and abetting a criminal, participating in a criminal enterprise with a convicted pedophile, obstructed justice by lying to police on numerous occasions and admitted their involvement of their own free will.

Stop peddling crocodile tears, sympathy & well wishes for two individuals who willingly and knowingly involved themselves with a convicted pedophile. Unlike the families of the fallen four - they'll see their families again. Oh - and the "poor legal representation" they keep whining about forgot to tell them that if they roll the dice and appeal their convictions, the courts can find them guilty of first degree murder four times regardless of any prior agreemets made with the Crown. Personally - I'd love to see that happen.

I am not surprised that the RCMP found a scapegoat or two. It took them a few years to find someone to take the blame and the onus off them for letting the "kids with guns" (2 weeks with guns) out to play. The tactics were sleazy and I am convinced that theose two men are doing their time for buying drugs from Roskzo.
The RCMP does not look good. Maybe to themselves but not to the rest of the world. After all they were scared of Rosko too. That is why he terrozed a town all his life.
Yeah, just put him down and take his gun away, The RCMP are responsible for those young policemen and someone else is paying.

Free Hennessey and Cheeseman. Important note: Hennessey said "no" to Roszko.

After learning that Barry was actually trying to rally people together for a protest on behalf of his son - on the anniversary of the massacre - I'm inclined to think maybe Shawn comes by it naturally.

Like father like son.

It is hard to understand the hardened, cold comments against Henessy and Cheeseman. Obviously, those people have never made any mistakes in their entire lifetime. Possibly that is why it's so easy for them to look down on someone who has. These men are guilty of making some bad decisions. Why in the world would they call the Police? The outcome would most certainly been the death of their families. The police have a strong history of not doing anything; the fact that Roszko was still a violent threat living within the community is evidence enough. Selling pot? The government itself is involved with the legal selling of pot all the time to persons who use it for health reasons. I would like to see anyone else turn down the demands of a known madman. Who wouldn't put their family first? Why doesn't the responsiblility lie with the RCMP? They are the ones who knew all about the violent background of Roszko, yet they failed the community. Why not spend some of their apparent millions assisting the community in getting Roszko out of their town? And why all the focus on the grow op all of a sudden. If I recall, it was a truck seizure that brought the police to Roszko's farm. They stumbled upon the grow op. The RCMP have embarrassed themselves and are looking for someone to punish. The real criminal is dead, and they most certainly aren't going to look to themselves for responsibility for the events that took place. However, they certainly went to great lengths to find someone to blame. The punishment does not fit the crime whatsoever. I hope a good defense lawyer comes forward to help these boys. 15 years is a high price to pay for making some bad life decisions. How can they be held accountable for someone else's actions. Ultimately, we are all responsible for only our own actions. I would have protected my family by any means as well; you cannot count on the police to do it for you. Their track record speaks for itself.

"Jem"... I didn't realize marijuana equalled murder. So what if they wanted Roszko to destroy the grow-op? I fail to see the connection. Is marijuana illegal? Yes. But does that mean that Shawn and Dennis wanted people to die in order to cover-up that "crime"? That's absurd. Dennis and Shawn's INTENT was not for anyone to be harmed.

"Most of us have had to make difficult decisions under fearful circumstances and would NOT make the same decisions before and after these events which these two criminals did." I'm sorry, but I truly doubt you have EVER been faced with a similar situation.... an angry man with a gun asking you to drive him home when your daughters lay sleeping in the same house (and knowing if he found out you warned the cops that he will likely cause deadly harm to those you love)? In fact, I say that that statement is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Life is not a movie, though you might like to think it is. People like to think they're tough. Look at how many people bashed the passengers on the Greyhound bus where the young man was brutally murdered. I heard people saying that the passengers should be charged for not trying to save him.

Shawn and Dennis are no more responsible for what Roszko did than the RCMP superiors who failed to protect their officers. What about that NEGLIGENCE??

I don't think they are scapegoats, but I don't believe they would have gotten as harsh of sentences if Roszko would have been apprehended. Someone is covering their ass and these two are paying not only for what they did, and they do hold responsibility, but for what Roszko did.

Bad decisions don't make bad people. These two men don't hold murderous intentions. They have the ability to turn their lives around, pay amends, and to contribute positively to society. Don't make this about revenge for the lives of the Fallen Four. The man who deserves that is dead.

Barry, did you actually intend to write that you DON't condone what you placed on the Facebook website, rather than that you condone it? An almost forgiveable error; I suppose.

Your apology for suggesting a rally on the day of the anniversary, and your error both say a lot about you.

It's a relief to know that nobody will have to deal with that!

Sadly, what I think you and your son's supporters are missing here is the fact that you all feel you're the most important people in this terrible tragedy. You are only an insignificant sufferer in this, and through your snivelling and sniffling, you disrespect the sorrow of the family and the family and the family and the family, and of the hundreds or thousands of friends and co-workers and acquaintances and admirers who will never ever see their loved ones again. How many lives were destroyed because your son was too ignorant to do what anybody with half a brain in their head would do? Remember, he said right on TV that he didn't care!!!

Like your son, you had a thoughtless moment, and so did a few other people who were ready to go with the flow of an anniversary rally on FB.

But people are making excuses for you now, just as everybody is making excuses for your son.

There are no excuses, especially for your son. Everybody's under duress.

Face reality and stop this nonsense!

SHAME ON YOU, CBC!!
"kim b ab" hits all the pertinent points and demonstrates that there are people who can clearly discern the incredibly sick journalism that produced this piece.
Facts show that both of these guys were involved with Roszko because of their own criminality and desires to cover it up. THey were dealing drugs with him and were involved in helping Roszko to cover it up by aiding him to get back to his farm and arming him. They had choices to do something AFTER they dropped him off and to NOT lie to the cops after the fact. I have NO sympathy for them. Without their complete help before and after they dropped him off those 4 cops would VERY likely not all have been killed. Shaunessy and Cheeseman and their family members who knew what was happening that night bear full responsibilty for their actions and inactions. These sickening interviews show how CBC likes to enable quilty people to moan and whine because they got caught and NOT to take responsibility for THEIR FREE actions. Most of us have had to make difficult decisions under fearful circumstances and would NOT make the same decisions before and after these events which these two criminals did. Lock them up wehere they belong so they can tell their sob story in there rather than insulting law-abilding citizens with this piece of journalist crap.

Good News to hear the Hennessey and Cheeseman case is being appealed: Wouldn't it be nice to see all the culprits responsible for these young men being deliberately railroaded and the young RCMP officers that were killed - to be exposed -- but I think that is hoping for too much! Especially in our world and the way these people in high places manipulate and work together??!

An old time judge once told me many years ago,back in the 1970s: “Once any persons goes before a judge and pleads guilty – (and especially as these young men did on 4 counts of manslaughter) – you are guilty! And the judge has to give something in return." And when the guilty plea was "guilty on 4 counts of manslaughter re: 4 RCMP Officers" – you are guilty of murder! When a person pleads guilty, as far as they are concerned - you are guilty, and it is as good as doing it yourself: and it does not matter if you were miles away!
PLEASE FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE - LESSON # 1: PLEASE LISTEN: NEVER EVER PLEAD GUILTY TO SOMETHING YOU DID NOT DO, NEVER!!! THIS WAS THE SICK GAME BEING PLAYED OUT ALL THE TIME BETWEEN NOT ONLY THE COPS, BUT THE LAWYERS AND ALL THE GANGSTERS (Mr. Big and his Gang) ALL BECAUSE THIS WAS THE THING THEY NEEDED AND WHAT THEY WERE AFTER!INCLUDING THE JUDGE – THEY ALL KNEW AHEAD OF TIME WHAT THEY WANTED, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEATH OF 4 RCMP CONSTABLES -- ALL THE SICK GAMES THEY WERE PLAYING WITH Shawn and Dennis, THE COVER-UPS, THE WICKED STING, THE INTERROGATIONS. THEY KNEW WHAT THEIR GOAL AND AIM WAS: and it did not matter how they got it! Especially in a serious crime like this one was. But the only killer was James Roszko himself. Maybe he has escaped this life, but he has not gotten away with anything! and neither has anyone else! --
You can stop here if you want - but I do want to tell my story:
I am every day getting closer to the end of my journey down here - being a senior now. I also was once falsely accused in a much smaller situation than this – and then railroaded – all because I refused as a School Bus Driver to put a child’s life in danger, and transported with the other kids on my bus to safety! (Cross school bus boundary was a greater issue than the safety of children??!! What a fiasco!) The news papers including BC TV all went crazy over my story for the first month until the Top Guys were able to silence both them and me as well only because - I trusted in the wrong advice the Union Reps. were giving me.
The executive at the school board hated my guts, they not only involved the Police to try and incriminate me with their false allegations and trumped up charges – sure I lost my job – and also thousands of dollars in wages that could have been over the years – but only after the management found out that I had taped the entire situation and the meetings with them without them knowing it as I had no other choice in the matter and no way to defend myself.
But despite the tapes, despite the fact that once realized they also ordered them to be transcribed: and despite the fact that 2 manager and 2 bus drivers had deliberately lied under oath to do me in – and had deliberately perjured themselves; and despite the fact that I had clear evidence and proof re: the same – Behind closed doors and manipulations of the wicked and evil managers, the lawyer, the union (that was supposed to represent me, but didn’t) and even using the police to try and incriminate me in the worst way: they still railroaded my case through arbitration: all because of one crooked lawyer – who probably cost the school board no less than 80 to 100,000 dollars, and one very crooked arbitrator, as well as the Union Reps. all being in bed with them. They know how to play their sick games and make deals behind closed doors they even silenced the news media – that went absolutely crazy with my story at first! I have all the tapes, all the documentation – video tape, and scores of newspaper clippings.

I have written my story out in a booklet and delivered them myself personally to the local police on 2 different occasions – and to the school board several times, and to the Mayor’s office as well – and even though I was threatened in 2001 – that if I publish these things and go public – they would sue me.. I have heard absolutely nothing from any of them. I even gave them to the local newspaper office – they are all scared stiff – and if they even tried to sue – it would open up a giant can of worms and expose how wicked and crooked they all were in mishandling my case. (I share part of it in the book I wrote in 2003, and another one exposing the entire fiasco in detail: including polygraph test! and the tapes as well!)
After 10 long days of Arbitration hearings lasting over a period of 6 months – not one witness was called in on my behalf: and only given 1 hour to speak and tell my story. They were all waiting for me to throw in the towel and take the pay off 10,000 dollars they had offered me, to shut up and go away. And all I can say is God bless them! The Bible tells us to bless and curse not, and also to love our Enemies – that is absolutely impossible without the Grace of God in our lives. In the End – He (God) wins!
Without proper wages coming in now since 1997 – And since these things which happened now, 11 and 12 years ago – we have been for the most part, living by faith – trusting in the Lord and helping hundreds of orphans in Africa - and even been building a small hospital in a remote area of Malawi, also in Africa.
I even phoned the Crooked Lawyer to tell him that I forgive him – just when he was cleaning out his desk on his last day at work in 2003 - I had no idea he was closing shop right on that day when I phoned him! He was close to 70 years of age and retiring – but I also told him that even though I forgive him – he is also going to stand before God one day to give account of all the evil he had done over the years to not only my family but also the people he helped do in as well. But now he may not even be around, except on the other side of this life??. Awaiting his turn, for the rest of the Story: God knows!

Many times these same people – who hold high positions and make lots of money are the same ones that go over seas and are using children in Thailand and South East Asia, as well as other parts of the world – to fulfill their pedophile and wicked evil deeds. And we wonder why we have such a corrupt and evil system on our end of the world?? With God nobody gets away with anything. My prayer is - may we all be on the right side of God. My experience with all the evil God exposed me to back in 1996-1998 and the people who did deliberate wrong I did not know how to forgive them, let alone love your enemies like Jesus said. But I learned and am still learning. May God bless us All! And may God bless all the families that have been devastated and hurt!

This entire story is heartbreaking. It vividly represents the human suffering we experience in our world, and our incredible success at perpetuating it. Perhaps the first tragedy was not preventable, and unfortunatley it is not reversible, but the second one is.
A comment on the so called "agreed statement facts". Agreeing to all the details of a story does not make it factual. Facts are facts. They need no agreeing to by anyone. The problem arises because we usually do not know all the facts and never will, so we try to fill in the blanks. A better title might be "agreed story of what we all think probably happened, but perhaps not what actually happened".
And as far as lies are concerned, here is a fact. At numerous times in our lives, and for a multitude of different reasons, everyone lies, it is a common human behavior.
From the Police, to the families of the fallen officers, to the families of the convicted, my heart goes out to all who have been touched by this tragic event.

One more brief comment.

The Mr. Big operation truly does work. It works so well that dozens of convicted have had their verdicts over-turned, been released from prison for lack of evidence, and numerous other events that result in the wrongly convicted and incarcerated being the recipients being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their false convictions.

Mr. Big truly does work - Mr. Big has returned all those thousands of our hard earned tax dollars back into the economy. Unfortunatly, Mr. Big does not seem intersted in returning the millions invested in intimidating petty criminals to make fake convictions.

Mr. Big, please review your policies and return all the the tax dollars you have taken from me and invested in 'legal criminal' activities.

I would like to appoligize for the facebook comment of having something happen as a rally on or near the 3rd of March. This was not meant to hurt or disrespect anyone. Especially those 4 officers and the familys.I deleted it ,i condone it ,and i do NOT agree with it.Im sorry.

Barry Hennessey

There WILL NOT be a rally held on March 3. Some of the people that belong to the facebook group are under quite a bit of duress and write things they don't really mean.

As with any story, there will undoubtably be many views on it. The media, be it television, newspaper, or radio, bring to your attention a story from the information they have recieved or have collected through various avenues. Not all media stories are accurate, not all are inaccurate. It is the responsibility of the viewer/listener to investigate and learn more about the actual events to make an informed comment on a matter. The CBC did nothing wrong in their report, it brought something of interest to the public, and I don't believe there was any manipulation on their part.

What people have to remember about the Police, is that they are people too. They also get scared, sometimes panic, lose their temper, and want revenge, they just will never admit it. Policing is a very reactive agency. New Rules and Regulations, or Operating Procedures most always come about after something has gone wrong. Hindsight is 20/20. Policing is also very protective of itself, and hates to admit errors, no matter what the scale. In the deaths of the 4 Constables, the RCMP Command Officers are maybe responsible for bad judgement, but, would have 4 experienced Constables been able to handle an surprise ambush with any better results? But, no matter what one thinks of this case, Policing is an institution that the public should support, as there are alot of decent Peace Officers out there who do protect the public.

The Crown Attorney, they are the same across Canada, they are paid to present evidence and try to prove guilt, admitting a mistake is not part of the equation.

To those who say that Hennessey could have called the Police, its not that simple. He was going through the same situation as witnesses to a violent crime go through. How many times have you read in the paper about a shooting/stabbing/robbery in broad daylight, in front of hundreds of people, and no one has come forward to police. People get scared, they fear the accussed will find out who called. The general public doesn't handle stressful situations well. Most 9-1-1 calls end up to be what we call "Human Percieved Emergency".

Looking at the whole sitation, back to before the day of the shooting, one could blame the entire town for what happened that day. People knew about the grow op, but didn't call Police. People were scared of violence from Roszko, but nothing was done. The RCMP probably were aware of some of the going ons, but fell back on the old "we can't do anything until he commits a crime". And maybe, if the criminal justice system had really done its job, he wouldn't have been free from previous crimes to commit this act. So, instead of pinning this on 2 people, who, did not participate in the act itself, let's look at the big picture so it doesn't happen again.

To Anonymous, regarding the Mr. Big Sting:

I do get it, and so do the rest of us who are not criminals. I'm not a criminal for a good reason and so are millions of other Canadians.

It's you who needs to "get it."

Let me explain: most criminally minded people are easy to catch in one of these stings because: Gues what:

They ARE Criminals!!!!!!!

They have criminal minds, they have criminal behaviour, they willingly make bad choices without caring for the consequences.

A non-criminal person would know better in the first place, and would never even consider being a part of the type of illegal organization portrayed in the operation.

And it doesn't matter what part of your body you're thinking with. Responsible people know better. Criminals, I guess, get suckered.

Why don't you ask Dennis whether he slept with his fake girlfriend? I read in the paper that there was almost no physical contact - maybe one kiss. She's not a hooker you know.

I'm late sumitting because I was so outraged with cbc's treatment of this sad tragedy. MacIntyre tried very hard to whitewash hennessey's guilt, dismiss the pain and anguish of the bereaved and stain the integrity of the RCMP, in line with mother cbc's obvious goal. For MacIntre to conclude that cheeseman's confession was "half-baked", that hennessy is "partially" guilty and that he played an "unwitting" role is to demonstrate his obvious bias. hennessey's mumbling, weeping and lying in the face of indisputable facts introduced into court did nothing to minimize his guilt. He refused cheeseman's offer to phone the RCMP after dropping Roszko off at his farm, armed with the rifle given him by hennessey and hearing Roszko ranting to get even with the police. Macintyre knew all of this as well, because the program was prepared, edited and produced after the evidence came out in court!cheeseman may have some peace after confessing in full, hennessey, the snivelling coward will face his tormentors in prison and Macintyre will go on to evermore inglorious performances. JDH

I like how these two guys were supposed to be aware of Roszko's capability to commit murder when the RCMP had deemed him to not be a risk. What about the four men's superiors who failed to provide them with scene safety? The suspect was not in custody and it never crossed their minds that Roszko might come back? With his history as a REPEAT OFFENDER? Someone within the RCMP made some very serious errors and they two should be held accountable for THEIR actions.

I don't understand why people think Shawn and Dennis should have known what Roszko was capable of when the RCMP didn't consider him high-risk. Yes, they should have warned 911 that Roszko was going back to the farm but their fear of Roszko's retribution is very understandable. How could they have known four lightly armed (and one unarmed) officers would be the only ones at the scene? Or that anyone would be there at all?

I think it's easy to look back and knowing the answer, say that it should have been obvious to them. It's not. They should not be held accountable for being scared and giving Roszko a ride, but held accountable for obstructing justice when they failed to tell the truth.

And their family is suffering as well. It's not the same as the families of the Fallen Four, but it's pain nonetheless and is real. These boys will forever live with their actions, before and after the incident, and they never wanted or wished for any innocent lives to be lost. They never would have comprehended anything past getting Roszko away from their family.

No more lives need to be destroyed. That's not justice, that's vengeance.

Regarding the Comment this is unbelieveable, by Mr. Annonymous: (I guess Mr. Annonimous - will never know what it is like to be lied to and incriminated: interrogated and messed with in the worst way and in ways that only the RCMP know how to do their dirty work when it comes to railroading and incrimiating innocent people,(But than maybe you are one of them)??? The fact that there are two young men who have been railroaded and hung by crooked RCMP Officials,when they are the ones who were guilty for their own deliberate neglect, and own deliberate wrong doings. The RCMP is guilty of murdering those 4 young officers for not covering the property the way they should have against a dangerous offender and now a mass murderer - James Roszko - and not Hennesy or Cheeseman.
Railroading and hanging innocent people by the Mr. Big Sting Operation -- is what is unbelieveable. In fact if there is a celebration to remember what took place to honor those fallen police officers - as well as to help Hennessey and Cheeseman -- I would even challenge the families of the fallen officers to step up to the plate and it is about time they - maybe even sued the RCMP for allowing their loved one to be killed by the careless and wreckless way the Top Guns handled the situation.
Also, Canada needs to draw some serious rules RE: Mr Big -Millions dollar sting operations -- and limit them to going after hardened criminals who are killers and not the vulnerable and innocent people they have targeted, not only in this situation but in others as well. If The Canadian Government cannot change these rules and such unlimited and corrupt powers given to the RCMP -- we will reap the benefits of all the corruption that is now being sown. Not only did they do their dirty work in the Big Sting, But they also had a definite hand in the prosecution and the lawyers lying to their clients as well. While the innocent sit in jail - the corrupt heads of the RCMP are walking the streets along with the - deceitful and lying Lawyers, and the Judge as well - you all failed -- so face up to the facts -- and let justice be exactly what it is supposed to be.
All of Canada needs to stand behind these two young men and their families who have been deliberately and falsely accused, railroaded and imprisoned for something they did not do. Thank you.

I agree with your comment "anonymous" about not doing a rally on the anniversary date of the fallen 4 officers... I wrote Mr. Hennessey on FACEBOOK with a comment about setting up a rally on a separate date as the date of the fallen 4 officers is a date of mourining the fallen 4 heroes...
However I also feel some empathy towards Mr. Hennessey in that right now feel he has lost his son too and is trying to do anything he can to have his son back with his wife and two kids... And sometimes we humans don't think rationally at times of under duress or in time of pain in our hearts...

Fran Draper:

Just a slight correction. If you were in court for any of the Hennessey/Cheeseman proceedings, you would know that it was the DEFENCE not the CROWN who offered to take a plea. This was done after the prelim inquiry.

Hopefully that clarifies things for you.

Not that it's your fault, since Linden MacIntyre got this fact incorrect as well.

Unelievable!!!

I have just read on the facebook website, which is supported by this CBC show, that Barry Hennessey is trying to gather people together for a rally on the day of the anniversary of the massacre.

This is the cruelest, most unconscionable, selfish and thoughtless thing any human being could possibly do! Mr. Hennessey, you have no idea how painful this is for the loved ones of these officers? This should be a day of mourning and regret. It's a day that the families should find comfort from their community, not a painful stab like this!
What nerve! It's evil. Absolutely sinful!

I think the point of the documentary was to question the future of sting operations; Shawn and Dennis have been used as pawns for Linden MacIntyre to make his point and to increase show ratings.

As a result, two criminals have been encouraged to carry on whining and crying, and so have their supporters. A TV journalist can't get the sentence reduced for the two bad buys, and anybody involved in the legal system who watches the show will know what a bunch of hogwash it really is.
Linden has the guys and their supporters believing that an appeal will change things. It will change nothing; Sometimes, appeals and re-trials backfire for the criminal, whose sentence might actually be extended rather than reduced.
There is really nothing in the documentary that the judge didn't know before. If you read the plea hearing excerpt, found on this website, Cheesy Hen have been fairly represented; their side of the story clearly came out in the courtroom.

All you suckers donating money for an appeal would be better off giving to a worthy cause. Some defense lawyer is going to walk off laughing with all your money, and nothing will be accomplished.

Wake up people! These two cowards are where they belong.This biased piece of journalism is an embarrassment and the CBC should be ashamed as it is nothing more than step one in an orchestrated plan by Henessey and Cheeseman's lawyers for support for their appeal,complete with people giving addresses for people to contact the judge,the minister of justice,etc.Hopefully,both sides on this debate contact these same people to voice their opinion.Step two in this plan became obvious today with Henessey's father going public with comments about how unfair this has been to his son and Cheeseman and how he can hardly wait for the appeals.Give me a break!Their sentences have already been reduced more than enough.

It is terrible that 4 RCM Police were killed by a crazy man......but I don't think these two "accomplices" really realized what they were helping him do.....Not many of us could really believe that would really happen. Yes, they made a fatal error in judgement but to get the sentences they did seems like they were at the scene and passing Roszko the bullets.

The sting was another story and who knows what anyone might have done/told stories under the circumstamces.

If the justice sytem is there to punish and rehabilitate = their sentences are too harsh in my opinion.

I sure hope if there is any justice in Canada,these
two young men will be set free.

I have much to say but I will keep it short. I am sick to death of this bleating, hand wringing and teeth gnashing about these two slime-bags, and trying to make them look like victims. Is this what we have come to?

Read the statement of facts, people. And stop trying to portray these two lowlifes as innocents. The Fifth Estate makes me sick. Ever since "news" became a big business it has gone downhill, this sorry excuse of a "news program" is a prime example of that.

It disgusts me how you even wasted airtime on Shawn Hennessey. He had lots of time to warn the authorities what was to happen. A man (Rosco)with this much hatred for the RCMP was a ticking time bomb. If any normal person new a DOG was in danger wouldn't they report it to the SPCA. I hope Shawn Hennessey and his brother in law spend every day of their sentence thinking of what their inaction resulted in. They turn my stomach wining about how scared they were of this guy, yet he had no problem growing DOPE with him. Remember Shawn you have to meet GOD yet. Hopefully you won't get to spend eternity with our brave young RCMP officers whom you aided with their tragic murders.I'm sure they are enjoying the rewards of their exemplary lives.

Proud Mother of a Brave RCMP officer

Let's outline how a Mr. Big sting operates for those that don't know. Bottom line for the suspect, FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, is this:

Suspect has been profiled and targeted. Suspect is lured through being "befriended" and "close" with an undercover cop.

*In this case, Cheeseman was "set up", not with a "friend" but with a "girl-friend" who was either a cop herself, or working for them. (makes me wonder - did she sleep with the boy to cloud his judgment further? What's the ethics there?).

Social/peer pressure is put on the suspect by the "friend" or in this case "lover(?)" to enter into a shady deal with big payoffs for them (the carrot). Of course the suspect can always refuse. A good sting will keep the pressure on with that carrot out in front. Logical arguments are put forth "inadvertently" showing just how "good" the deal is.

If the suspect decides to pursue it a little further (just to find out more - usually), then the next phase goes into effect.

More smoke and mirrors to entice the suspect (money or some big payoff for the suspect should they agree). This is demonstrated by example and "flash" (via the theater of undercover work) until they can be coerced into a meeting with they "guy in charge" (who has to agree or it won't happen). Keep in mind that this "guy in charge" (aka "Mr. Big") is NOT revealed to the suspect until they've agreed to go "a little further" and maybe "a little further". Then at the 11th hour Mr. Big is brought out. (Sounds like an investment scam huh? "Oh yeah we forgot to mention this fee...sorry!")

The situation is set up whereby, the suspect is sitting there with their new "friend" (or lover? in this case) egging them on to admit something that can be held against them. It is explained that this makes Mr. Big trust them (cause now he'll have something on them) and he can now deliver the "carrot" or "big payoff".

No matter how nervous the suspect is, various social and behavioral tactics are used to keep them "on track" towards admitting something. The only way out is to literally stand up and run out of the room and keep going away from these people whether they are afraid or not! Alternately they can refuse to admit anything while "Mr. Big" gets more frustrated, dissapointed, and annoyed that they won't "come through". (I don't know about you but I wouldn't want Don Corleone feeling this way at My expense!!).

In this case specifically Mr. Big wanted Cheeseman to state that he was in on a cop killing so that Mr. Big could "trust him" and follow through on his end of the bargain. Remember, his "friend/lover?" is nodding and egging him on (clearly thinking with the wrong part of his body).

*It is hoped that in this situation, the suspect feels as if he/she MUST confess to something incriminating or they might feel the "wrath of Mr. Big". Although this is never stated to the suspect outright for legal reasons, through other behavioral and social means it is made clear.

Maybe because they are so close, maybe just to get the hell out of there for now - maybe, indeed because they are in fact guilty - they agree and state "Yes I was involved."

Boom!! Done deal - there is your confession!

THAT is a typical Mr. Big sting.

Tell me that is not entrapment. Tell me that is "fair".

A young man lead by the wrong part of his body into a situation where, egged on to admit something that may or may not have happened, and with a subtle threat of "I'd better say something, or else!", he nods his head, maybe just to get out of there all the while realizing "That girl that I'm nuts about is really bad news!"

Oh that's right! He MUST be a truly evil person deserving of 12 years in prison because he sold MARIJUANA!! for a guy who eventually killed cops.

Guilty by association, and therefore justified in being fully entrapped at the expense of the taxpayer.

Are you all clear on this now??

Get it?

To all of you hung up on the Agreed Statements of Facts, here is a little eye opener. The ASF is only partially factual, one reason plea bargains are wrong! When the Crown offers a plea bargain, it is just that, a BARGAIN! In other words, if you want a lesser sentence than you have to say this and this and this, if you don't want to say those things then the deal is off! Not much different from the false confessions brought by the Mr. Big Sting. The AGF did not say that Roscoe had the gun in his hand...not allowed, the AGF said that they knew Roscoe's intentions...they did not! The AGF is full of statements the Crown needed to have in there.Not the TRUTH! If they wanted to see their families again they felt they were cornered into signing the ASF! They were facing 4 counts of first degree murder, 100 years before parole eligbility! The first thing the Prosecutor said once the boys entered their plea and the convictions were ordered was "The Crown is pleased with the manslaughter plea as we didn't have enough to proceed on a first degree murder charge." These boys were thrown under the bus by our LEGAL system. I say legal system because I know Canada no longer has a Justice System!

Why are you not posting comments after February 4. If you not going to post them, perhaps you shouldn't invite people to leave them.

I'm very disappointed with Fifth Estate--for this story and for this shoddy running of a website.

My thoughts are to the families of the slain officers, however, the RCMP as well as the Crown failed to protect the public and their officers. Rosko had a violent criminal history and to send four officers to a substantial grow op and not anticipate difficulties??? Forget the grow op, Rosko's property was a tactical nightmare for four officers! If they took down Rosko as they did with Hennessey and his wife there might not have been any problems! Internal investigation externalized the problem, RCMP acted in a cowardly fashion sorry used entrapement to build their case against Hennessey and Cheeseman. And for the Crown to even forward prosecution is weak. At the most the two men should do public service and serve a supervised sentence in the community for not being forthright after the fact, although I can understand their actions before and after; I'm not sure how I would have acted in their shoes. I think the Crown should reverse its decision and hand out a more appropriate sentence, as mentioned above and the Superintendent of K Division do a proper review.

Thanks ever so much for the vital service your program provides to Canadians. From both documentaries about the deaths of the four young RCMP, what comes through to me is:
What possible reason did the RCMP have, to come with black and green painted faces to terrorize Hennessey and drag his wife, face-down on the driveway?

What's wrong with the RCMP that they could spend millions on a "sting" entrapment which other countries rightly ban because, like torture, it provides no reliable information, but had neither the will nor the skill to get a psychopathic menace like Roscoe behind bars? They let him terrorize the community for years. Why?
Clearly, when Roscoe appeared with a gun at Hennessey's doorstep, even if Hennessey had tackled him, he risked himself and his family being killed, and if he succeeded in killing Roscoe he'd have been charged with murder.
The RCMP had proved over the years that they couldn't or wouldn't control Roscoe. The Hennessey family, like so many others before them, would have had to live in terror of Roscoe's revenge.
How in heaven's name can Hennessey and Cheesman be charged with manslaughter or murder? They are being scapegoated by the RCMP to whom it was worth a couple of million dollars and an elaborate, discredited, sting operation to try to shift focus away from their sorry performance in this tragedy. I look forward to the inquiry into how the RCMP handled this dreadful affair -- which they could have prevented by merely dealing appropriately with Roscoe years ago, when he first started terrorizing the community.
A half-decent lawyer should be able to have Hennessey and Cheesman returned to society quickly. What kind of RCMP do we suffer under? What kind of judges do we suffer under? What recourse do Canadians have to a shamefully stupid and perhaps corrupt justice system?

I just want to say once and for all - NO ONE is suggesting that Shawn should have tackled Roszko and killed him on his doorstep. The only person who ever said that was Shawn himself. Yes, we all know if an agitated Roszko showed up at our door with a loaded handgun we'd all probably do exactly what he asked. That is not the point of Shawns guilt or innocence. So many people seem to be saying "oh that poor boy, he didn't have a choice, that lunatic had a gun etc". Its true, he had no choice in giving Roszko the ride - BUT the fact still remains he had plenty of choices before and after that fateful night. Why are so many people hung up on the "hennessey had to do what Roszko said because he had a loaded gun". We all get that - no excuse not to make the phone call later (either the wife or either guilty party involved) - and really no excuse to be selling drugs, etc in the first place. I'm sick of reading how "the poor boy didn't have a choice, and you all would have done the same in his shoes". Most of us wouldn't be selling drugs, etc for Roszko in the first place. I'm not saying the being his drug trafficker means you should have known he was going to murder someone - but I wish people would stop saying "he had to protect his family that night, so he had to take Roszko, etc etc". No one is suggesting he could have done anything different at that point. The fact that Hennessey was so concerned about covering up his own illegal drug activity is the only thing that kept him from doing the right thing that night. And this was so downplayed in that interview.

Hennessey says he wishes he would have just knocked Roszko down and wrestled the gun away from him and killed him right there - but he never says, I wish I had never ever been involved in selling his drugs, he never says, I wish so badly I had just made the phone call as soon as I dropped him off, and he never says I wish so much I had come forward, or I wish so much that I had never lied repeatedly to the police for years afterward. I mean how can you sit there and say you had no choice, when there is clearly a choice to be made in all those situations??

I do honestly believe that Hennessey wishes things had gone differently that night and I do believe they probably feel terrible that 4 men are dead - but I can't help but feeling that the biggest thing they feel sorry about is getting caught.

Maybe the sentence is too long for the actual crimes committed by those 2 (considering how rapists and murderers have gotten less time) -- but really, please stop with the "the poor boy had no choice" stuff....

(i'm also a little tired of all the police conspiracy theories as well - and if Mr. Big gets guilty criminals off the streets, why does it bother so many law-abiding people?)

One last rant -- Cheeseman is obviously involved with the drug dealing with Roszko as well. So after that all goes down the way it did, he is oh so quick to jump back into some other kind of drug dealings with another group of people he doesn't even know. Then he freely admits everything about the Roszko situation to the new drug dealers he's in business with and they happen to be undercover cops. So how is this confession deemed to be coerrsion? he's not being forced to make up a confession, he freely gave those statments, admitting to what they'd done/not done/heard/seen, etc..... I don't understand how that is a witch hunt or a coerced confession and I don't understand how being undercover and getting a criminal to trust you and then confess to crimes is a bad thing..... Of course, I do not claim to know all that goes on in a Mr. Big operation, so I may reserve my judgement about that...

It's very simple. When the RCMP fails on a massively critical level, all resources will be pressed into service in order to "change the channel", to intimidate, and to jail two men who are, at worst, guilty of bad judgement. As such, the police feel they can now say those responsible are behind bars. In reality, those truly responsible for a horrendous miscalculation, an appalling lack of judgement, and missed intelligence which served to cause the death of four individuals are still on the streets; and they are wearing badges.

Don't laugh at all the newspaper stories of Mexican police, because it's coming to a neighbourhood near you..........

I want to thank all the people who have written in to support Shawn and Dennis in this travesty of the so called Wonderful Justice System of Canada ---

When the entire world sees RCMP officers kill an unarmed man in cold blood -- Vancouver Airport November,2007 - They get away with murder because they wore a uniform.
When the lead RCMP bungle the situation with a dangerous criminal like Roszko -- They blame innocent people for their crime again, by crucifying and killing the innocent. Not to mention the corrupt Mr. Big Sting - and 1 to 2 million dollar operation to prove their point -- and the crooked lawyers who further incriminate their clients with -- 4 Counts of Manslaughter -- a MUCH lesser crime than 4 counts of First Degree Murder charges: What liars you people truly are!!! when they were not even there to commit the crimes.

Hang the innocent while the corrupt and shoddy police work, and those responsible for the cover-ups and the corrupt justice system - live on in luxury to carry out more of their infamous crimes and cover-ups: As the lives of the innocent, INCLUDING those who were killed by Rozsko, and their families: and those who have now been hung (Dennis and Shawn) to cover up the deliberate wrongs of those who are on TOP -- Nice going to all the BIG GUYS and even the RCMP-gal involved in deceiving Dennis into a corrupt and feigned relationship to blame the innocent in your high paid Mr. Big Sting Operations - you have all proven your point!

If you carry a badge and a gun - you are a SAINT no matter how rotten the case has been mis-handled???!! Especially if you are one of the Big Guys and on Top - WE need another TV Series -- Extreme Corruption??!!

What a sad day in Canada's History if these people are allowed to get away with murder once again - and where they never are held accountable to learn from their own wrong doings.

May God help all the families of the fallen RCMP as well as the families of Dennis and Shawn because they are being hurt very very badly not only in their personal lives but have also been devastated financially because of the wonderful lawyers misguiding them. The truth is they have nothing to fall back on -- not like the others -- except the people of Canada as well as the world that are willing to help (if you go to HennesseyCheeseman.com you will find where to make a donation), because they have not had the support the others got. May justice in this situation truly prevail -- and may this case be appealed and true justice shine in our Land -- the way it should have been right from the start. And may the Mr. Big operations be outlawed in Canada the same way they are in Great Britain and the USA as well.

I am 60+ years of age, never been in trouble with the law but I also have experienced and know personally what it is to be railroaded -- and falsely accused - by those on TOP - but thank God for His help and protection. And thank God for all of you that are willing to help Shawn and his family and Dennis and to see justice prevail the way it truly should have been in the first place. Thank you.

I watched with great interest and sorrow the program called "Collateral Damage."Interest, because you covered a story that has not been told before now and sorrow because of the loss of four young police officers and the probable demise of two young men who are in a way victims too.

I write because of my deep concern about the "Mr. Big" strategy that was used by the R.C.M.P as a way of collecting evidence. "Mr. Big" is a profiling strategy that identifies the vulnerable. It is a process that discriminates, that is misleading and deceitful, and that in some cases distorts the facts as people profiled may embellish the truth in return for acceptance. I suspect that it is unconstitutional in the broadest sense and flies in the face of what Canada stands for.

Altho I do not condone the involvement of the two young men, I come away thinking that justice has not been applied in a fair way.

This show was biased, and Linden MacIntyre has disregarded so many facts that I've lost all respect for his journalism. These young men deserved what they got because they could have prevented the massacre. Hennessey claims he was too frightened of Roszko to report him, yet had what it took to stand up to him and not allow him to park his truck there. There are so many contradictions in Shawn's story which changed a lot when he was no longer under oath.
What a liar!

Am I the only one wondering why the families of the slain officers aren’t demanding answers from the RCMP staff who decided to send their ill equipped loved ones to Roszko’s property and ordered them to remain and guard the quonset? How could the cops not know there was a door at the rear of the quonset hut? Hadn’t anyone walked the parameter, or walked to the back of the building when they discovered the dope inside?

Two million dollars … outrageous! If this is my tax dollars at work, then I want my money back, or I want a say-so in how it’s spent – and that doesn’t include entrapment schemes. Those of you who think otherwise, look around, the next person suffering a similar injustice could be your loved one. Let’s spend some tax dollars investigating the RCMP to find out who was responsible for screwing up so badly. Who holds them accountable for their actions? Let’s hear from them.

Shawn may have made some bad choices but that doesn’t translate to first degree murder. What man wouldn’t have met Roszko’s demands if they felt he posed a threat to his family? Shawn admitted to selling pot (so what – doctors are allowed to prescribe it these days) and lying to the cops (big deal) so let the charges fit the crime. Let’s be honest, who hasn’t made poor choices (the cops??), lied or embellished a story (the cops!!). I’ll admit to all of these faults myself and if you won’t, then cast the first stone.

The cops show up and Shawn’s house in full SWAT regalia and throw him and his wife to the ground – all 100 lbs of her – that’s insane and inexcusable! Duh … this was not Bonnie and Clyde you morons!

The sad truth is the families of the slain officers were denied the opportunity to see justice done when that cowardly lunatic Roszko took his own life. Justice hasn’t been served by sending Hennessey and Cheeseman to prison and ruining even more lives … but vengeance has.

The obvious pain and torment visible in the Shawn’s eyes during his interview was haunting. This is a wrong that needs to be corrected. In a perfect world a competent lawyer or advocacy group would step forward to offer pro bono services and start the appeal process immediately; and a fund to facilitate donations to help the Hennessey/Cheeseman families offset the astronomical legal expenses they have incurred. They will continue to incur debt as they travel to a prison on visiting days and deposit money in an account so Shawn and Dennis can purchase things like toothpaste and deodorant from the prison canteen.

Mr. MacIntyre, please don’t allow this travesty to be forgotten anytime soon. Let’s remind everyone that while our lives carry on, these men will sit in jail day after day and two little girls will be raised without their father.

I suspect the RCMP will one day reference this case in their training academy as a ‘what not to do’ exercise. Maybe they’ll also talk about the many charges Roszko had accumulated in his illustrious criminal career and their failure to have him put away. This has been called the biggest RCMP slaying in Canada’s history … true, but it’s also one of the biggest miscarriages of justice directed at Hennessey and Cheeseman!

So many people saying "write to your MP, write to this person and that person to have this 'injustice' voided."

Hellooooo?!??? That's not rational. What "injustice"? Hennessey and Cheeseman DID aid and assist James Roszko. They DID give him a weapon, and lots of ammunition as well. They DID give him a ride to the scene of the crime. Those facts are not in dispute, and so they ARE accessories to the murders of four RCMP officers who put their lives on the line for the public every day that they went to work. You think that Hennessey and Cheeseman deserve to get off for assisting the murderer? Feel sorry for them if you want to (well I don't!), for their families and young children who will grow up without their father's presence, but eventually Hennessey WILL be with his children again; too bad the Fallen Four won't have that blessing.

The dispassionate facts are that both of them WERE accessories, and bleeding-heart sympathy does not have sway in the application of the Canadian Criminal Code.

I contacted a retired RCMP officer that I have known for many years to get his take on the whole situation. Here is what he said to me. First and foremost it was a tragic situation for the 4 fallen officers and it could have been avoided. He inidcated that his superior officer would not have allowed 4 inexperienced officers to secure the area to which a person who is well known in the community and by the Mayerthorpe RCMP as a volatile and violent person. He infomed me that his superior officer would have sent experienced RCMP officers to the area and directed them to remian a half mile away from the area and if they saw Roszko return to his farm to immediately call for back up. Or have the 4 officers in the quonset covering all entrances in case Roszko returned to the quonset. Geeze that sure makes sense doesn't it. He also informed me that the RCMP is covering up for their mistakes and blunders so the 4 fallen officers families do not sue the RCMP and they needed to find someone to (Hennessey and Cheeseman) to be found culpable for the murders since Roszko was dead. He also indicated to me that Hennessey shuold have been charged with being involved with selling and buying Marijuana and recieved a 3 - 5 year sentence. Cheeseman to be sentenced to nothing. He informed me that this was not also a tragedy for the 4 fallen officers and their families but also a tradegy for the Hennessey and Cheeseman families as well our justice system that he had served for 30 years. After hearing this retired RCMP officers comments it has made me hope that this case will be re-opened a Defence Lawyer with a conscience and will take on this case for these two men.

I understand that many people on this site are only learning about this case through the Fifth Estate program. Please people, educate yourselves. The agreed statement of facts is a public document (actually posted on the CBC main site) and will fill in all of the blanks that MacIntyre didn't bother to mention. If the only exposure you have to this case is this program - you only have half the story. Although Hennessey and Cheeseman signed and approved the ASF, it was rarely referenced in the Fifth Estate broadcast. In fact, Hennessey contradicts his own sworn statement on the program. Great journalism Lyndon.

Some questions for the person who claims to be a Private Prosecutor:

Why haven't you come forward with your name?

What is a Statue of limitations?

Do you think it's ok for people to tell lies?

Too all the supporters please join the Facebook Group.

Free Shawn Hennessey

We will be investigating the Crown’s case. The Statue of limitations, and if the evidence supports it- We may file “Private Prosecutions “against the RCMP, and The Crown with possible obstruction charges.....If our investigation proves a violation of civil rights. The fifth estate's Linden MacIntyre has done a great service to upholding the rights of individuals who are possible falsely accused of a Crime where the evidence suggests

Private Prosecutor | | Posted February 8, 2009 08:14 PM
Thank you... When I read that it made me feel much better and some faith in the judicial system... For me its all about getting the complete truth as I feel there are so many loopholes in this tragic situation of the fallen 4 heroes... I have so many questions... and none of them have been answered thus far... All I would like to find out the truth to why the two lawyers recommended Hennessey and Cheeseman to plead guilty to man slaughter instead of going to trial... was it because the prosecutor had enough evidence to prove a 1st degree murder charge on both men... or was it because the defence lawyer knew H&C were running out of money and if it went to trial he was concerend about that... The whole situation with H&C has left me feeling betrayed by our legal system and the reasons why the judge made the decisions to give 15 and 12 years incarceration to H&C... Between the judge assuming that H had a self interest in the grow op by being a business partner with Roszko... To assuming that by giving under duress Roszko a rifle and a ride towards his place they they knew full well Roszko's intentions... It scares me that this judge and our judicial system hands out sentences on assumptions they make... These two men are guilty of not phoning the RCMP after they dropped off Roszko... H. is guilty of owning a registered fireman that belonged to a family member... H. is guilty of buying and selling marijauna... Now where does it indicate he pulled the trigger or that he was involved in the plot to murder 4 RCMP officers...
Lawyer Guy Fontaine represented Roszkoon many of the charges, and knew him for 20 years. He says Roszko hated the RCMP and blamed them for interfering with his life. "These police officers were completely mindful, they were completely aware of Roszko's history, of his files, of his involvement with the law," said Fontaine. "They were completely aware of his potentiality towards violence."
We know the truth that Roszko filled these 4 fallen heroes... We know the truth that Roszko had a grow op and stolen vehicle parts and a chop shop as well as weapons in his quonset... We know the truth that the town of Mayerthorpe was terrorized by Roskzo and the RCMP even had some concerns about his violent nature...
We know the truth that Hennessey gave Roszko a rifle and a ride to his farm and brought his brother in-law with him... We know the truth that Hennessey bought and sold marijauna... All I am seeking is the truth to whether H&C knew Roszkos intent that dreadful night... As well I would like to hear Dennis Chessema's version about that night and what was said and what... Until then I feel there is way too much armchair judges or criminal lawyers or people who either think the 2 men are innocent and should be set free or they are guilty and should be locked up forever... i sincerely hope and pray that this private prosecutor is able to resolve many of my questions and if there has been injustice hold those people accountable, but also if H&C were aware that Roszko was intent on killing RCMP officers and this is why he demanded a ride by them... Then if this is the case H&C are guilty of the crime they have been charged and sentenced for... I have several friends and two relatives who are police officers and I do appreciate and respect they put their lives on the line so that my life can be safer... So I am not going to bash the RCMP... But it still doesn't cause me to question why 4 officers with limited experience and no senior officer with them were sent to guard Roszkos farm when he was a well know violent SOB bully which the town members feared and knew about his reptuation and even worse the RCMP were very aware of his reptuation too...

Two days ago, I had an anonymous phone call from somebody who opposed my support for the justice handed to these two. The caller refused to identify himself, but wanted to correct my point of view. I refused to speak with him unless he gave his name & phone number. After giving him several chances, and warnings that I'd hang up, I did so.
It was quite frightening! This man is a perfect example of cowardly behaviour from the two men who knew that Roszko had a gun and refused to take it seriously. In fact, Hennessey himself stated at some point in the documentary that he didn't care about Roszko having a gun.
People need to face the truth of this situation so that this will never happen again!

By all accounts, Roszko was a violent, paranoid pychopath and a sexual predator who had a long criminal record involving drugs, illegal weapons, uttering threats, and sexual assault and who openly expressed hatred for policemen. Four rookies were sent out to his farm to assist in the repossesion of his truck. After twenty four weeks at Depot and minimal experience were they knowledgeable/experienced enough to deal with such a disturbed individual? Had they been briefed on the dangers involved in confronting him? WHO WAS SUPERVISING THESE YOUNG MEN? There has not been one word about how the Officers in charge of the RCMP Detachement mishandled this situation, Yet two million dollars were spent to entice, intimidate, entrap and literally throw the book at two periferal participants who "should have done.......etc.! To all the armchair quarterbacks on this forum who would have known EXACTLY how to handle a guy in your home with a 9mm gun, your "HERO" buttons are in the mail, To the thoughtless, mean spirited people who say Sean and his brother-in-law got what they deserved: it sucks to be you! To the rest of us who see this as a miscarriage of justice, let's donate money to the Henessey family so these sentences can be appealed. We all mourn the loss of four young policemen and privately grieve for their families but to let this judgement stand without challenge would dishonour their memory!

There is a reason why Shawn and Christine's story is being publicized. There is very clearly a travesty of justice at play with the innocence and lives of two decent men hanging in the balance. Those of us who think otherwise should not be so quick to pass judgment. I hate to say it but the police are not infallible. There have been recent cases of abuse of power and a malpractice of judgment. I, like many others, are losing faith in some of our law enforcement agencies. I can only hope and pray that justice will prevail with divine intervention.

Well, sooner then later, the judge's decision to sentence those two will be all over the internet. To all those bleeding hearts out there who think that the RCMP are just finding someone to point the finger at....READ THE AGREED UPON STATEMENT OF FACTS!!! Yes, like the name implies, these are the allegations that the defence doesn't even bother contesting...Like the fact that Shawn was growing pot with James. It will make your blood boil when you read how those two helped James and how this was so preventable. When you read that, you will see how much of a liar Shawn is..and how the punishment fits the crime. I had the benefit of reading the courts decision prior to watching that crap on the cbc.
Justice has been served, and I hope those two rot in jail.

I understand once a 'guilty' plea has been entered, that the die is cast. There may be no avenues left for Hennessey and Cheeseman if their appeal does not reduce the sentence. The law is the law and we must abide by it.

That having been said, I feel strongly that Judge Macklin did not think through a couple of points on which he based his sentencing reasons.

Number one: He says he feels that the moral culpability of Hennessey is very high in that Hennessey was principally motivated (in helping Roscko)by a desire to have evidence that he was involved in the grow op destroyed. However, after reading all the information I could find, no mention was ever made that there was evidence in that hut that Hennessey was involved in the grow op. The only mention of his involvement has come from Hennessey himself, in that he bought and sold drugs for Roscko. What evidence existed that he was a 'business partner'? Surely, if there was hard evidence, he would have been arrested as a participant in such an illegal activity within days of the event. What evidence does the Judge refer to? Has this been proven to be the reason that Hennessey drove Roscko that night? Does such evidence exist? If so, how come it hasn't been mentioned. If no such evidence exists, I find it presumptious of the Judge to infer his opinion is right of why Hennessey drove that night.

Number Two: The Judge seems to think that a phone call to the police would not have caused Roscko to know who made it. Does he honestly think that such a phone call would result in just the members taking a little extra care .... believe me, such a call to the station, and then relayed to the site, would have caused a reaction as great as a nuclear explosion. Roscko would have known immediately what had happened and who had called it in. Let's say that the call was made....everyone would be called in on high alert....there would have been an increase in members, activity, noise, etc. And if perhaps Roscko was arrested....what charges would they use? Running a grow op, owning a chop shop, evading bailiffs? He could have been out in a day or so on bail. Could the Judge be so sure that Roscko would not then turn his 'revenge' on the Hennessey family. How can he use this reasoning as an indication of Hennessey's culpability climb up the moral ladder? How can he say that Hennessey should not use the 'fear factor' as a reason as it wasn't a reasonable one?

Although I understand the law and the limitations the Judge must have found himself bound by....his statements re grow op evidence and why Hennessey should have called are questions I find myself needing answers to.

If anyone out there knows what the so called 'evidence' was that Hennessey needed to destroy...this evidence that was as the Judge said, "the only motivating desire he had to participate that night", please let us know.

Real sad, horrible that the mounties were put in that position by the RCMP, they are the ones to blame. I thought that they were suppose to be guarding that shed. If they had have been truly guarding they would have seen him slip in would they not? Would this have happened? Since when are two guys responsible for one man actions 10 hours later? A very dangerous example to set. Sounds like the RCMP is looking for someone else to blame, not the first time. These guys deserve to get something for lying, but what they got is ridiculous.

I can't help but feel that this situation is a horrible miscarriage of our justice system. The man who killed those four police officers is dead. He alone can be held responsible for their deaths. It seems this is more about getting revenge and appeasing the victims families than true justice. Or maybe it is about the RCMP looking incompetent and feeling the need to redeem themselves?

The fact that the RCMP used the "Mr. Big" method of capturing a supposed confession should alone raise red flags. In other democratic countries this method has been stopped as it is considered "entrapment". Of course a young, insecure, impressionable young man is going to tell them what they want to hear regardless of whether or not it is the truth. He would do this to gain their respect and friendship. This whole "Mr. Big" process makes our legal system look like that of a mere banana republic!

I am a former residend of that area in Alberta. I have never met Hennessey, Cheeseman or their families. I do know however, that Jim Roszko had a reputation as being someone you avoided at all costs. Many people were afraid of crossing his path. If he came to your door in the night with a gun, you did what he said. He was a violent bully. These two young men just happened to be the victim of it on that particular night. Hennessey might say now that he wished he would have tried to stop Roszko, but all that likely would have meant was that we would have five dead young men instead of four. Hennessey may have initially panicked and told lies to distance himself from the situation. This was wrong, but wouldn't a lot of us have done exactly the same thing in his situation?

I feel horrible for the men who died and their families, but that does not change the fact that this is a miscarriage of justice. These two young mens lives have been ruined and the only thing they are really guilty of is having bad judgment and smoking some marijuna.

In recent years I have lost respect for the RCMP. It is a frightening feelng that you can't trust the ones who are supposedley there to protect you.

As a former RCMP member I must say that those four members who were sent to Roszko's residence to search the quanset hut were seriously let down by their superiors. In the old days we had a "dangerous to police" book that had pictures, case history with names and dates of people who were considered a serious threat. Those four should have been on their guard while on his property. Not that it would have prevented him from stalking them, however maybe they wouldn't have been ambushed completely by surprise. Obviously I grieve for the four members and their families, however the sentences handed down to Shawn and his brother inlaw are ridiculous. We've all read in the news how one RCMP officer who had been threatened by Roszko taught his children to use firearms. Obviously he took those threats to be credible. No wonder Shawn had reason to fear for his family if he had not done as ordered by Roszko. The only thing those two did wrong was failing to approach the RCMP the next day upon hearing of the ambush and admitting their involvement in giving Roszko a ride back to his property.
The crowns case was so pathetically weak in this instance that any lawyer worth his salt could have drilled it full of holes. The key issue is whether Shawn and his brother inlaw knew of Roszkos intent to assault the police on his property. As we heard in the broadcast they saw one set of vehicle headlights and some lights on in the residence. There was nothing to indicate police presence. This is another example of police and crown tunnel vision. Once they get it in their minds that someone is guilty they go to all ends to convict that person. It's time for the solicitor general to stop the RCMP from using the " Mr Big " sting as the results are unreliable at best.

Wow, 15 years and 12 years,the bloody R.C.M.P and our legal system is a joke. Why the hell should these 2 guys be hung out to dry? Its obvious that our legal system does nothing to protect the threatened family or individual, and again the R.C.M.P. are the laughing stock ,bungling screw ups. Go beat up the little guy who really had nothing to do with it.I feel extremely badly for the officers families, but the lone nut-job is responsible for their deaths. We have pre-meditated murderers all over Canada pleading out to 2 and 3rd degree murder, and they are not getting this kind of sentencing at all.We as Canadians have got to stand up and support a reversal of a very bad legal decision.

We will be investigating the Crown’s case. The Statue of limitations, and if the evidence supports it- We may file “Private Prosecutions “against the RCMP, and The Crown with possible obstruction charges.....If our investigation proves a violation of civil rights. The fifth estate's Linden MacIntyre has done a great service to upholding the rights of individuals who are possible falsely accused of a Crime where the evidence suggests

If Shawnessey was so concerned about his family when the killer Roszko showed up for a ride and a gun then why was he involved with this maniac in the first place. Did he think that selling drugs for a maniac was good for his family? We all make choices in life, some of us are just more wise about making the right choices. Some of us choose good people to hang around with. Those that pick bad people to hang around with often later pay the price. No whining now boys, go to jail and pay your debt to society and when you get out make better choices, for your family's and the community's sake.

What about the cops, if anyone were to know Rozcko's temperment it should have been the cops. Trying to pin the crime on someone that was there that didn't want to be there but out of fear was, ask a cop to put themselves in Seans shoes, they wouldn't or couldn't because the police think different than the rest of the population. Police don't feel threatened because they carry their protection on their hips, the average person doesn't. As serious at it was, I believe the RCMP should admit that they were as much at fault as anyone. What was the real reason the police was there, dope? Come on, they knew how this animal may react, they found out didn't they! The police quickley made Rozcho's business a big deal out of a simple bailiff's attempt to confiscate a material object, isn't that sad!!

This is the sadest fifth estate episode yet. This is one of the best investigations from the RCMP I have ever seen. Yet the reporter sarcastically points the finger at the RCMP and their "inept" investigation of Roszko in March 2005. Shawnessey and Cheeseman could have and should have phoned the RCMP after they dropped the killer off. They said they were scared of him so to not expect problems after they dropped him off is beyond reason and gives these two no credibility. Hennessey is vocal now...too late. What awful reporting. Re-inforces the reason I don't watch the CBC. It is time to seriously consider not giving this TV network any public funds for their operations. God bless the RCMP, may the fallen four rest in peace now.

Its unfortunate. Poorly trained and inexperienced police officers acting in an uncoordinated fashion seem to have lost all focus once they discovered the "pot farm". Perhaps even those who had just recently joined the force already knew of the skewed priorities involved in the police activites relating to suppressing competition by independents in the drug trade.

Somehow the four officers were surprized by one lone and perhaps distraught gunman. Once that happened, the cops salivate worse than they do at the sight of some weed growing under a stolen lamp! The campaign against a young family man was a poor allocation of resources. The intent was to shoot the fuel tank and burn the evidence. The young man who lent the rifle may have been worried about his own family but he surely knew nothing of the existence of the RCMP officers on the scene much less the murderers intentions. Indeed it seems that the killer was concerned about destroying the evidence before the cops showed up in response to any later visit by the bailiff's seeking the pickup truck.

I'm sorry about the young cops and their families, but I see no need for a vindictive prosecution.

I have read many of the comments, but find that a great number of the articles present a very biased view pro or con regarding the culpability of Shawn Hennessy.

I feel that the main point of your interview is the fact that the RCMP is using entrapment in order to get a somewhat dubious "confession". Confessions secured under such dubious means should not be allowed to have any weight.

I would like to see the whole matter put under review and some adjustment made to the sentence.

I am glad that I do not have to answer to what I would do if someone threatened me and my family with a gun.

I will be 89 in ten days so will not be around long enough to see some policy changes to the Justice System.

I haven't been able to get the Hennessy Fifth Estate interview off my mind. First, I was impressed with how this young man comported himself. Second, if everything he said was true, then this is indeed a tragedy for him and his family as well the slain RCMP officers and their families. I am not so naive to think that I heard the whole truth in the one hour program but neither am I naive enough to believe that our justice system - as good as it is - is perfectly just every time. In my view, Hennessy and Cheesman were faced with some hard decisions that night. Maybe they didn't make the best decisions but I understand why they did what they did. Even if they acted partly out of fear of being linked to an illegal grow op, it is clearly possible they were rightfully motivated out of larger fear for the safety of a young wife and 2 small children. While H&C are partly responsible for the outcome, I have a hard time getting my mind around them being criminally responsible. The tipping point for me is that the RCMP themselves did not foresee or prepare for the possibility that Rosko would go to the lengths he did that night. That doesn't make them bad or incompetent police officers - but it does beg the question as to why the justice system can hold H&C accountable for not foreseeing the terrible outcome. Yes, I've read the excerpts posted here from the agreed statement of facts. The statement is not the same as a "confession" - correct me if I'm wrong. And if signing a document that said Rosko said things he didn't say was required in order for me to cut my losses (manslaughter conviction versus a long,expensive trial and possible murder charges conviction) I would have signed it too. Thus, I don't have a lot of faith in the content of their statements.
My last point is that these 2 young men with regular lives may have been denied real justice because they don't have access to the tons of money it would take to fight this. That makes me sad - I know the real world is like that but, it shakes me up to see a real life example so close to home. I wish them and their families the best in the coming years and as they rebuild their lives. This has no doubt set their lives on a path that will forever be marked by this tragedy. And my thoughts are also with the Rosko family. I have someone close to me who has had difficulties with mental health and brushes with the law. I know how my parents and siblings suffer and because of his actions. This does not take away from the loss and pain of the families, friends and colleagues of the slai n RCMP officers. Instead, it adds to our collective sadness, loss, confusion, anger and helplessness to ever put things as right as they should be. As right as we all need things to be. I will not be able to stop thinking about this for a long time to come.

Re: Collateral Damage, Feb. 4/2009

Why is Shawn Hennessey being held accountable for James Rosko's insanity? Hennessey's story is tragic. He's a responsible family man, a benefit to human society. Hennessey's actions were sane. How many of us also would have done anything on demand for a crazed man holding a rifle. Shawn Hennessey had two options: Potentially get himself and his beloved family killed; or drive this killer to his house. Hennessey did not know there were Mounties at Rosko's house. Why are the RCMP getting away with their own crime of using this good man as their scapegoat? This is a horror story.

This odvious witch hunt to cover the ineptness of the RCMP sickens me. Also I would like to question the ethics of the lawyers who stole $80,000 from these two and then when the money ran out talked they into a plea bargin. You should be ashamed of yourselves that the family may now not have a home. How do you sleep at night?????????

Lyndon, this is shadowy journalism at best. You gave an outlet to a person who assisted in the murder of four RCMP officers. He could have made one phone call that would have saved their lives, not wrestled away a gun as he says. But he did not and he needs to live with that. His own family tried to keep the secret and they(granpa and wife) should be paying a jail sentence price too. You seem to have a particular hate on for the RCMP. Why is that? Did you get rejected from being hired at some time, or do you just not appreciate the fact that they do a job that you would never have the ethical ability to do? I almost feel sorry for you, but not quite.

First off, this story is a great exmple of how the media preys on the RCMP day in and day out juat to get there ratings up, cause if you get right down to it, isnt that all that big corporations care about?...money? Now Second, its unreal how the criminals are being treated as victims?! everybody is saying how these two men have families and kids...well what about the four mounties? they all had wives and children, one of them had a child on the way, what about them? And if these two arent guilty, why would they plead guilty? would you plead guilty if you know in your heart you didnt do it? And Third, everybody obviously needs to understand that its not the RCMP that comes up with these decisions to charge these two men, its Canada's so-called "justice system" and was it a police officer that sits up on that bench and decides who's guilty? i think not, its a judge. Was it a police officer that advised these men to plead guilty? i think not, a lawyer! And to finish my statement id like to say leave the RCMP alone! they protect each and every one of you everyday whether you notice it or not.

I am sorry but after watching this episode, I can still not find any sympathy for these 2 individuals and for those who say it is about time that we have heard the other side of the story, how can you believe anything they would say? Hennessey has had how long now to come up with "his" version of the events of that night and how afraid he was yet we have never heard any of it until now? Whatever! I do not believe for one minute that if you are innocent you would sit there and pay out your entire life savings to a lawyer and then just go along willingly with everything you are told whether you feel like it is wrong or not. I also do not believe that you just decide to throw in the towel when the $ are gone and say "that's it...I'm just going to take the deal and hope for the best". Where is the rest of your family? They were willing to stick behind you and lie about the gun that you handed over being stolen so what, now they just give up too and let you take the plea?
I can honestly say that I am not sure about the length of the sentences given to these 2 but after reading what they agreed to and listening to everything Hennessey said in the interview, I believe he should be held accountable. Were you never worried about Roszko ever showing up at your house while you were selling his dope and doing something to you or your family because he may have been mad over his drugs? Were you never worried about dealing with Roszko at all? You were never worried about anything until the police showed up at his place and he knew they were there...then all of a sudden you felt the need to protect your family and give him whatever he wanted. You could have simply picked up the phone and made an anonymous call to tip off police...you could have done many things differently but you didn't and for this I cannot feel any sympathy for you or your family, who chose to cover things up with you.

We all know who killed the 4 RCMP officers. It is a travesty of justice for Hennessey and Cheeseman to have been given such harsh sentences. It's sad what happened to the 4 officers but Hennesey and Cheeseman couldn't have known what Rosko was going to do. Did they know there were 4 RCMP officers there? It's obvious they are being used has scapegoats for the RCMP's incompetence in this case. The rifle used wasn't even the one Hennessey gave to Rosko. It just boggles the mind that 2 innocent men are going to jail for someone's mistakes.

Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Cheeseman are no more guilty of 4 counts of manslaughter than I am -- if they are guilty so is everyone else: and we should all be in Edmonton in front of the Courthouse -- with signs - I am guilty of 4 counts of manslaughter, and we all need to be charged. What happened the next day hours after Shawn and Dennis dropped Roszko near his farm, had nothing to do with Shawn or Dennis any more than it had to do with you or I. If they are guilty so are we.
I hope there are Lawyers as well as leaders in Ottawa as well as in our Nation that are willing to step up to the plate and set the record straight.
These men need to be properly tried, and they also need to be set free. These men are not murderers and they also need to be home with their family and Shawn with his wife and children. When people out there curse them, and feel justice has been done by corrupt manipulations, you are cursing yourself.
When is Canada going to get it straight?? And when are we going to see true justice prevail??! Where innocent people are not railroaded through corrupt Mr. Big Sting Operations incriminating innocent people, and deals made behind closed doors on the part of Lawyers - Heads of the RCMP and Judge Eric Macklin? Accusing them of 4 counts of first degree murder, and then 4 counts of man slaughter. Including releasing Mr. Bigs false evidence on Dennis on television before judgment on January 30th. --
A great injustice has taken place in more ways than one - and there are people out there who made some very bad decisions in the Top ranks of the RCMP as well: No different than Robert Dziekanski's situation when he was murdered by being tazered 3 or 4 too many times by 4 RCMP policeman who acted more like thugs than what they should have been at the Vancouver Airport November 2007. Have they been charged with anything?? Those who tazered him should have been - with manslaughter as well, if not assault causing death. But no they have all been cleared, they did nothing wrong??!! And if they did nothing wrong, than in that case neither did Shawn and Dennis infact these two did much less than the RCMP in the Vancouver Airport situation!?? Please if we are going to blame anyone let us see justice prevail properly and let's get our thinking straight. - Dennis and Shawn did not kill the 4 unfortunate Mounties - Roszko did! - Also they were sent out there by the Top Guns who have now covered up their backsides - supremely, by accusing the innocent.

It was Roszko that did the killings including himself: not these two young men. By blaming them the entire picture becomes distorted! And something has been terribly wrong with this entire situation. God bless the families that have been hurt and lost their loved ones because of a very sick man that should have been kept behind bars, I wonder if Judge Eric Macklin has ever been responsible for the release of Roszko and not keeping him behind bars like he should have been?? If not him others like him have!

God bless the families of the fallen Mounties, and God bless the families who are deliberately being torn appart once again, in a vicious manner trying to destroy them as well. -- May God also bless our wonderful Legal System for once again failing all the citizens of this Nation. As it is failing Shawn, Dennis and their families: it is also failing every single one of us! God bless Canada! May God bless every single one of us, Sincerely, Martha Jakab

Bravo. Another poorly investigated, biased piece of "journalistic" dreck. Your story was repugnant.

It amazes me that the Fifth Estate, which holds itself out as a serious investigative program, would and could put this show together despite the evidence. Are you seriously suggesting that the RCMP targeted these two simply because they wanted to scapegoat someone? That the Crown and the Judges were all in collusion? There was a 2 year investigation into this and there was enough evidence to lay charges and (hold for drum roll) convict them of the crime.

They only plead guilty "...because they wanted to get on with their lives..."? No one does this, only those that are hoping for some leniency. Let's not forget that the defendants approached the Crown with the deal. Watching Hennessey speak was like watching someone who was involved in the killing of some bugs. Those Mounties meant nothing to him and you could see it from his expression (or lack thereof) when he spoke of it.

I recommend everyone read the Judge's decision concerning the sentencing. They will get some insight into the rationale and understand where the Judge is coming from. Perhaps even go through the Access to Information Act and get the file.

It seems to me that the CBC couldn't recover from their previous shows on the topic decided to continue with their anti-RCMP agenda. Mr.Big scenarios, the arrest of the subjects, it is all anti-police and the prejudice comes through loud and clear.

"Half-baked confession"? Really, perhaps it would be best if Linden McIntyre refrained from commenting on Supreme Court of Canada sanctioned investigative techniques. His bias was apparent. At the very least, have a host who can hide their contempt for the police in general and RCMP in particular.

Your show is pathetic and I will not be watching it again.

And to all you people who draw comparisons between the RCMP and the Nazis, shame on you, you don't deserve them.

The fact that a criminal as Roszko put the fear into a whole town including one police officer makes everyone in the town somewhat responsible collectively. People were affraid to come forward as witnesses of his crimes so as to convict him; the justice system was not acting responsible at times. I feel the whole town can learn something from this unfortunate event; and that is in the future to be supportive of each other and to bring thoes threatening the quality of their towns life to justice. Fear is what has caused many world atrocities. In the case of the two men; I suspect the fear of being found out to have been involved in selling marijuan kept them from calling the police. I also feel for these two and their families; along with the broken families of the slain officers. Most of the blame goes to the system for not protecting the victims from the very dysfunctional Roszko.

there appears to be two types of people in our country, those who support the Police and those that would think it was the police's fault if the sky fell down. Hennessey stated in the interview that they had no idea that Rosco was a violent man who terrorized people, but later in the article his wife, through her sniffles, stated that IF they had called the police and warned them , if Rosco got out of jail, which he had done before, he would terrorize them.So, did they or did they not know he terrorized people? Also, if they felt that their lives were in danger and that is why they gave them the gun, why, while traveling 50 km to the mothers place to leave the truck, did they not call the RCMP and warn them, or why did the wife, if she felt her husband might be in mortal danger, not call the RCMP. could it be because they only dreamed up the terrorized story to cover their tracks?Hennessey stated in his statement of facts read in court that they saw police cars at the Quonset hut, but stated in the interview that he did not. There were so many hard questions that MacIntyre could have and should have asked, instead of Mollycoddling both Hennessey and his wife. Up until this interview, I thought he was a pretty good journalist, but not anymore.If you read the sentencing, they will be out in around 4 and 6 years, the families of the mounties that were killed were given a life sentence.Ya, i only sold a little pot to family and friends, no big deal...give me a break, he knew exactly what Rosco was planning on doing, he had 4 years to come up with a plausible reason for his actions, and he didn't even do that. Can you tell which side of the fence I fall on?

After reading some of the overwhelmingly uninformed comments on this site, let me point out a few observations:

A local drug dealer who had collaborated with a convicted pedophile to run a grow-op out of his quonset pleads guilty to murder because his brother-in-law, who willingly chose to participate in criminal acts with undercover RCMP officers decided to spill the beans to his "cohorts" about their involvement in the Mayerthorpe killings. That accurately and fairly sums up what Cheeseman & Hennesey did - nothing more or less.

The picture that the CBC has painted is typical of their bleeding heart liberal stance. I thought journalism was the pursuit of and reporting of the truth? The drivel I saw was a one sided slant which attempted to paint Hennessey as a family man with his tear filled wife by his side and his poor, naive brother in law in jail unsure about what he did wrong.

If you're dumb enough to commit criminal acts and then stupid enough to brag about your achievements to others which lands you in hot water - you deserve what you have coming. These two slimeballs got what they deserve, lock, stock & barrel.

Watching this broadcast made my blood boil. Hennessey and Cheeseman plead guilty because they were exactly that: GUILTY! Hennessey admitted to lying to the police several times, to lending Rozsko a gun more than once, and to giving him a ride. He didn't give him a ride home, he dropped him off in a field away from the house...why would he not take him all the way home? He stated he did not know if the bailiffs were still at Roszko's yet said he saw lights on and headlights in the driveway...obviously someone is there. And the fact that he earlier said Roszko was a loner would suggest bailiffs and /or police were still there. There was no concern then that the man had two loaded guns on him and was planning to blow up and burn down the grow operation? Why would you need guns to do that? I don't believe for a second that these men didn't know Roszko's plan. There is no sympathy here for these men. They aren't innocent. Hennessey admitted to selling drugs for Roszko. He admitted to "laying low" in an attempt to avoid police and prosecution. He was arrested as he should have been: he was associated to and assisted a man who took the lives of four men who are there to protect us. To portray him as some kind of victim makes me sick. A man who is afraid for his safety (a man showing up at his doorstep with a gun) is not going to go and get another gun and hand it to him. Give me a break. This is not US television; people aren't forced to confess to crimes they didn't commit. He entered a guilty plea because his lawyer told him he would get a lesser sentence than if this went to trial. The bottom line is that James Roszko did not act alone and without the assistance of these two men, things may have been very different. Not once during the interview did Hennessey say he was sorry or that he should have called police to alert them. Hennessey cried during the interview because he knew he was going to jail. Even after he was asked if he would change his actions, he says he would have tried to wrestle the gun away...still never says he would have done the right thing and let police know Rozsko was armed and ready to do something stupid. Hennessey's wife says they didn't call police because they were afraid Rozsko would come back and hurt them. That further proves they knew what Roszko was capable of. This case has nothing to do with "scapegoats". Everyone knows James Roszko pulled the trigger and killed four Mounties, and then turned the gun on himself. It is about people being held accountable...and Roszko did not act alone.

I have some sympathy for the two but this program was so obviously trying to manipulate the facts and story. Not one challenge of any thing they said- just blind acceptance.

I have already sent in a comment earlier and believe Hennessey and Cheeseman got railroaded. I am also proud of the RCMP in general but they really screwed up twice this time; first in not protecting the four young officers, and second from framing the two young men. I am sure there is still more too both sides of the story as I have read everything and anything I can find about this case.

In the Edmonton Journal, Friday February the 6th there is an article that Cheeseman and Hennessey plan an appeal, good for them, I would like to send a $100.00 cheque for their defense fund; can someone please let me know where to send it to? As the article states, to accept a plea deal and then ask for an appeal is double dipping but hopefully the people down at the Alberta Court Of Appeal can see through this sham and grant a second trial or better yet open a full inquire into the RCMP on the two above noted points, and why the law / RCMP were unable to protect the people of Mayerthrope for so many years from a home grown terrorist like James Roszko, that they knew about. Then maybe a little bit of good can come out of such a horrible tragedy and prevent the likes of any future Roszko,s

Justice was not carried out in the case of Hennessey and Cheeseman. The RCMP were out to place blame on someone other then themselves. Any aspect of human compassion was completely set aside in this foray.
I often wondered why the two victims did not warn the RCMP, but after watching "The fifth Estate" I can understand the fear that the two men felt. Because the justice system had failed to deal with James Roscoe in the past, Hennessey and Cheeseman would be the ones to deal with the repercussions of the "Bully", had they reported him. The take down of Hennessey by camouflaged men was "too much - too late" Really? What were the police trying to prove by arresting him in such a fashion.
Good work by the "Fifth Estate"! Keep on top of it and maybe justice can come. Later is better then not at all.
No scape goat. the police say! I do not agree.
Four Mounties died and that is sad, but James Roscoe was allowed to do this by a series of circumstances that are regrettable.
Disgusted - St. Paul, Alberta

As a recently retired RCMP member my colleagues and myself have become accustomed to this type of media from the Fifth Estate, however this show reached a new low. These two men assisted in the largest loss of police personnel in Canadian history and we, the Canadian public, are supposed to have the slightest bit of sympathy for them. Let me get this straight, a police hater shows up at my house and asks for a gun, gloves are worn to place the gun in a bag, they drive this man to a location near the sight and drop him off at a location a good distance away.Why didn't they drop Roszko off right at the quonset, oh yeah, the police were there dismantling a grow op that all three gentlemen knew about and at least two profited from. They watch him pull socks over his boots so as to not leave bootprints, drive home and not call the police to advise what they have heard and observed. The next day Rosczko and 4 Mounties are dead. Which police detachment did Hennessey and Cheeseman attend to help out with the investigation, oh yeah, didn't happen. They were caught, charged, and had very capable lawyers who gave them advice to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. Why would a lawyer with over 70 homicide cases to his credit give this advice, I'll tell you why. The are guilty to 1st or 2nd degree murder and the lawyer is well aware of the sentence that goes with these charges. These lawyers also are well aware of the evidence that the Criminal Code requires for murder. According the the interview with Hennessey, apparently he doesn't feel he's guilty. What did we anticipate Mr. Hennessey advising us? If anyone is unsure of what constitutes being charged with murder, please read the Canadian Criminal Code. Make no mistake folks, the only thing these two men are sorry for, is being caught. Plain old facts don't make much of a show though, do they?

VERY disappointed with Fifth Estate's story.

The facts: i) Hennessey was in an ongoing criminal relationship with Rosco; ii) Hennessey gave Rosco a gun when Henneseey knew that law enforcement was looking for him; and iii) So that Rosco could avoid detection by law enforcement, Hennessey gave Rosco a ride back to the farm. These facts would not play well in front of any jury.

It is unfortunate that the Fifth Estate, Hennessey and his wife thinks that Canadians can be bamboozled into ignoring these facts, simplying by putting two teary eyed, photogenic, apparently ernest people on television.

Regardless of whether Hennessey knew that Rosco would kill anyone, his actions are criminal culpable. The next time I grow pot with someone, give them a ride and a gun when they are on the run from the law, I invite you to throw me in jail for 15 years too.

Another episode of “The Fifth Estate” highlights the tragedy of the Mayerthorpe massacre. The slant that Linden MacIntyre puts on this journalism is, I’m sure, designed with careful questions, editing, and omissions to produce shocking TV that will stir strong feelings in many. It did in me. The result? Mr. Hennessey appearing on TV and describing the role he played in the death of 4 members of the RCMP. His tearful wife by his side, fielding carefully scripted softball questions; imploring us to accept his story. Many may find that story compelling.
Here’s what I heard while watching “Collateral Damage”:
Shawn Hennessey is a self admitted liar and drug trafficker who was in partnership with James Roszko. Shawn Hennessey provided James Roszko with the means and the opportunity to ambush 4 men. And so quickly we come to the million dollar question: Did he know what Mr. Roszko’s intentions were? He claims not. But by his own account, Shawn Hennessey refused to co-operate with police after the incident. More than that, Shawn Hennessey lied to the police after the incident, when reprisals from Mr. Roszko were not a factor. In that light, his excuses and explanations ring of self preservation from prosecution - not fear of reprisal from James Roszko at the time... or the RCMP after the fact.

And so Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Cheeseman plead guilty. Were they convicted and sentenced justly and accordingly? An informed person would perhaps need the full facts to judge for themselves. I certainly won’t take Shawn Hennessey’s - or Linden MacIntyre’s - word for it.
Ironically, because of the guilty pleas of Hennessey and Cheeseman, the full facts of this case may not be accessible to the courts - and the public - to be judged. How convenient for them - and “The Fifth Estate”.

A tragedy indeed.

I have read all comments people have wrote....Some of you make alot of sence where others make none.....Say as the three men were driving to the farm, James did say he was going there to do what (Kill the RCMP), do you think he also said he was going to kill himself when he was done. How do you think it all went down when they got to the farm...."See ya James, it was nice knowing you, make sure you do a good job." Should these two boys be to blame for James R's death? Everyone's happy the maget is dead! These boys are not to blame..... LET THEM OUT They did not pull the trigger....

I find it unbelieveable that so many people would have bought into the innocence of these criminals who were accessories to murder. The CBC and anyone associated to the Fifth Estate Program should be ashame of themselves. If these two individuals were so innocent, why then did they not come forth after the fact and provide the RCMP investigators with what information they had at the time. This well could have prevented 4 innocent members of the RCMP from being murdered. Why, because they knew full well that they were willingly involving themselves as parties to the offence. It's time some people who have posted comments in regards to this matter take a good look at what they percieve as true values by which Canadian citizens should live by.

Secondly as a tax payer who's hard earned dollars are being used to prop up the CBC on a yearly basis who in turn would hire such biased incompetent investigative news persons who would actually produce such crap is unbelieveable.

I just wonder how many of these so called "supporters" of these so called "innocent victims" who have been "unjustly prosecuted" would feel the same way if it was one of their family members whom these two convicted criminals had murdered. Think about it...

I've been watching the show online, but can't get past the annoying sniffling self-pity expressed by Shawn and his wife. Lies being told here, and the CBC is acting as the mouthpiece for a pair of bad guys. Very frightening!

I cannot belive our national tv station's over-the-top sympathetic point of view. It's almost laughable - I thought it was a parody at first. Too much information has been withheld by the CBC, who is manipulating its audience in the worst way possible.

Shawn and Dennis got into a terrible mess, and lied to cover up Shawn's involvement with Roszko and some illegal activities.

They knowingly allowed a massacre to happen; nobody in their right mind or even their wrong mind would expect an angry insane Roszko to behave well with a rifle in his hands. They knew there would be blood and did nothing to prevent it.

Now they're using fear for their their families'lives as an excuse for their cowardice. They deserve the sentences they got and their families and friends should simply face the truth about these hippocrites.

I am disGUSted by the way so many people on this board have let themselves get led by the RCMP propaganda machine which preys on the public assumption of guilt by association or suspicion.

To believe that you have any idea what it is like to be in a situation like these two boys were facing. Further, to comment, clearly without knowledge, on a confession that is nothing more than a coerced confession using social means instead of say...a phone book, or bucket of water. So sorry that Cheesman did not have the integrity of saint to resist the immense pressure used in a Mr. Big operation.

So sorry that you believe that through the mere association with a deranged killer makes them criminals.

They suffered from bad judgement.

Quite frankly they did nothing that I would not have done myself at that age. As aside from a few transgressions of youth I am no criminal.

This entire case comes down to whether or not these two had knowledge that Roszko was going to kill those cops or not.

Well, boneheads, did you not take note of just how long Roszko sat watching his property, no doubt humming and hawing as to what he was going to do? Do you think he didn't consider cutting and running, balancing that with his anger towards the world, back and forth and finally coming to a decision ( clearly the wrong one). I think if Roszko had the intent to go there and kill cops right out of the gate it would have happened a HELL of a lot quicker than it did. Do you think if that was his intent - he would have advertised it to these two?

They should have figured it out you say? So they are serving time for not thinking? Is that a crime in Canada? Because they didn't put two and two together.

Look at what that boy's wife said too. Rosko was KNOWN for holding a grudge. Had they called the cops, and he got out who's to say he wouldn't have come back at them later and hurt their kids? Seems he had a reputation there huh? Yet you dump on them for not putting their family at risk.

I am again disgusted by how easily led, and judgmental Canadians have become.

You folks do nothing but express your rage at the death of those 4 boys in uniform through the blind vilification of two boys who, if not entirely innocent, clearly were deserving of nothing more than a couple of months in jail to smack some sense into them (as if they didn't realize already).

Next time a scapegoat is offered up - maybe it should be one of you rallying blindly behind the RCMP, who might I remind you have lately had so many instance of abuses of power I can't keep track of them all.

Of course I feel for the families of those policemen - very much so! However, that does not mean that there should be a sacrificial lamb (or two in this case) to ease their pain. You want to use a lesser crime to justify burning someone...any one at the stake.
It is obvious that so many folks on this board feel that way - how do you live with yourself?

Anyone who doesn't recognize that this two wrongs trying to make a right is either blind, stupid or in denial of reality.

Gee - who knew you could get 15 years for not making a phone call about something that might happen? Why is it that when people question the unfair treatment of Hennessy & Cheeseman, the RCMP always treat it as though we're prolonging the suffering of the families of the fallen four? Those RCMP officers were among the noblest and bravest this country has to offer - no doubt about it - but they served and died believing in justice. I'm sure their families also want to see that justice is served. Besides - if the RCMP was truly so concerned about the families, why didn't they give the 2 million spent chasing Cheeseman & Hennessy to those grieving families to help them raise their fatherless children? Or would that have seemed like an admission that senior RCMP officials were in some way responsible for what happened in Mayerthorpe?

Unfortunately, most of the people, in fact likely all of the people that viewed and commented on this so far have no idea how they would have reacted in this situation. Most people are, I hate to say it, some form of coward. We live very protected lives where we don't have to deal with threatening situations and when they do occur, how will we react? Well, I am here to tell you that most will do no different than these kids, and they are kids. Even the RCMP here were kids, I understand that the senior officer of the detachment was transferred soon after the incident, I would have liked to be a fly on the wall during those dicussions. Regardless, I am in agreement that these guys got railroaded and if they had enough money they would not be in the situation they are today. We don't have a justice system, we have a legal system and they got caught in it big time.

I wish the CBC would pour as many resources into doing episode on the RCMP murdering Robert Dziekanski.

As a member of the RCMP, It amuses me how many people complain about their National Police force. About corruption, set up's, etc. Yet, none of you people would take it upon yourselves to join the RCMP to make a difference. I would suggest many of you arm chair quarterbacks don't have what it takes to do this job. To even suggest that the four members killed that day were not qualified to deal with Roszko is pure ignorance. The RCMP are amongst the most highly trained police officers in the world. For those of you that may be confused, the police sometimes deal with bad people, whether it be petty theives or murderers and they do it without fear, because that is what the citizens of this great country expect. The public loves to bash the RCMP every chance they get... that is until they need them because they have now become a victim of crime.

The only victims in this tragedy are the Wives and Children that will NEVER get see dad come home.

As for the fifth estate, just another poor piece of investigation. I'm glad we put our lives on the line everyday to give you the freedom to speak freely.

To all the fallen members of the RCMP, may you rest in peace, you are truly heros.

As much as the sentence may be extreme, three adults lied to RCMP during an investigation. The "threat" from Roszko was over once he was dead. They chose to lie. They chose to take a plea which happens everyday in our legal system. Shawn chose to sell this man's drugs, he chose not to call the police after Roszko had left his house the first time, he chose to lie after the deaths of four RCMP officers. It comes down to personal responsibility. Shawn seems to have only taken some with his plea agreement.

The "Mr. Big" stings are not legal in all countries but they in Canada. We applaud the use of undercover officers to gather information in cases across this country and we don't seem to cry foul when the "victim" is a member of a gang.

As I stated in the beginning, I may not agree to length of sentence but it has taken four years for Shawn to tell "his" truth.

The RCMP were obviously just looking for someone to blame for their own incompetence. With all their training, why would they send an unarmed officer onto the property of a man known by police to be violent? They were ill-prepared for a situation that escalated into a tragedy. Hennessey didn't pull the trigger, 15 years is outrageous.

What joke, all these people who say they wouldn't have done what this character wanted while he's holding a gun on the front step of your house and your wife and kids mere feet away. Stop kidding your selves you would have done the same thing. Its a disgrace to jail these two guys for so long and they only did it because there's no one else they can hang any of this mess on. Well I hope their lawyers appeal it because it's ridiculous the time they got and would of done much better with a jury trial but of course if you don't have lots of money you can't get a fair shot at justice, it's pathetic.

Tonight was the secound time I watched this story I made my Husband watch it as I was so mad with the sentance. I know there was a certain amount of guilt because they did not inform the cops of what was going on, but who knows what any one of us would do in this situation, the fear, the uncertainty, I know that even the good people would buckle up under these circumstances. Many cops smoke mariujuana, and even the best of people have sold it. I have seen brutality many yrs ago by police with my own eyes on a wrongful arest. I just want to say these guys are not child abusers who get out after a yr and abuse someone again they admit there guilt and truly are remorseful, I think there punishment was way over the top, I feel for them and hope they will be releaced soon. I am sorry for the victoms but forgiveness is healing,and the true abuser is already dead.

I am glad that this show was aired. I cannot believe our justice system.
Its tragic that 4 police officers were killed, but we know who did it, and it was not these 2 young men. What was their crime? They were merely victims of a deranged and violent bully who arrived at their house with a gun....what would most people do, risk the family's lives, I doubt it. I can totally understand the predicament that Shawn found himself in.
We need to help them out of this travesty of justice.
We can write the justice minister :
The Honourable Rob Nicholson
Senior Minister of Justice
105 East Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
webadmin@justice.gc.ca
Maybe with enough letters they will look at this. Thank you for your show.

How in God's name can 2 young men be charged and then the plea accepted by the judge of manslaughter when they a)weren't anywhere near the scene of the crime when the crime was committed, and b)didn't pull the trigger???? JUSTICE?? I don't think so...COVERUP!! Absolutely. There is so much travesty associated with this case, it's hard to know where to start. Why did Hennesey give James his grandfather's rifle? Because James was waving a 9mm pistol around and demanding the rifle...in fear of his families safety, he did what he was told as well as the ammunition and a pillowcase. Wouldn't you? Then he was told to drive him home and was given directions as to where to drop him off...he did what he was told...(9mm!!) wouldn't you? Why didn't he call police after he got home? Because he knew that it would have been not only useless but would have given James reason for retaliation against him and his family...remember, (James had been arrested 40 times previously and had been released all but 2 times, and only then did a short period of time in jail). I have to question not only the RCMP and their judgement to keep 2 inexperienced officers at the scene but the defense attorneys who represented or misrepresented their clients. Threatening them that if they talked to the media about the plea agreement, they would quit and then not presenting all the evidence in order to fully represent their clients all need to be questioned. I just hope and pray to God that somewhere on this democratic North American continent there is a defense attorney not afraid to take on this case and rectify this total miscarriage of justice!!! Please someone step forward for the sake of these boys. Keep up the great work 5th Estate and keep us informed.

I hope that this is the last we have to hear from these two "victims", and I use that term sarcastically. Regardless of whether Hennessey was indirectly responsible for the Fallen Fours deaths, we are loosing sight of the fact that Hennessey was still a low life. He was in business, selling pot, with Roszko and never seemed to be afraid of him then right? So Henessey claims that he just wanted to give Roszko a gun so he could shoot the propane tanks and burn the grow op down? So I guess Hennessey should be a hero for conspiracy to commit arson? Give it up people! It is not like he is an innocent man that is taking the fall. Play with the bull and you sometimes get the horn. And lastly, for all the people feeling sorry for Hennessey's wife being "violently taken down and made to lay face down on the ground", get real. The only ones you should feel sorry for are the 4 Constables that were laying dead, face down, in the dirt because of Hennessey's indirect actions.

Collateral Damage

I am absolutely horrified that these two unsuspecting young men have been handed such harsh sentences. It is clearly a case of negligence on the part of the RCMP for allowing four, young, inexperienced officers to go to a grow op alone with a known violent criminal.. I have every sympathy for the deceased officers families, however, I strongly disagree with the senior administrators who knowingly sent only 4 officers to deal with the situation. Using civilians as scapegoats for an poorly managed raid gone bad is positively inexcusable. Shame on the RCMP!!!! Accept YOUR responsibility!!!!

It is strangely interesting that in the Vancouver airport incident with Mr.Dzieskanki the RCMP were found faultless.
Conversly,in the Mayerthorpe case the RCMP cospired their case to throw 2 innocnt people in jail.
What is wrong with this picture?
I think we all underestimate the power that has been entrusted to the RCMP.

Mr. Hennessey is not a law abiding citizen. He is a drug dealer. He loans firearms. He is a criminal who had not been apprehended. He doesn't report the threats of Roszko. Unfortunately there was not a trial where his statements could be cross examined. Surprise! There are consequences for criminal behavior. He still doesn't get it. He thinks he's a victim!

Why was this lunatic out of jail to begin with. Did the police not have him and let him go? So now what, it's up to Shawn Hennessey to take him down?

Really, as if this man would take the chance of wrestling the lunatic to the ground with his wife and children right behind him. Understandably all Mr. Hennessey wanted was to get this horror off of his front porch.

My heart goes out to the family members of the four slain mounties; I can't imagine their pain. I have absolutely no sympathy for Hennessey and Cheeseman; I am sick and tired of living in a day when guilty people get made to look like victims. Hennessey's face (and that of his wife's) spelt 'guilty' throughout the entire interview - lawyer's can play their black magic all they want but it's real easy for the public to see the truth!

These are obviously two guys who made some regrettable decisions, and they should not have stayed quiet.

That said, I do not understand why they are pleading guilty to these charges. How could they have foreseen that he was going to do this? It does not seem like they had the necessary intent to me.

They should have put it before a jury - maybe get it tossed or plead guilty to obstruction of justice. Facts are not in dispute - what do you have to lose. They would not have received more than the 15 years they did on the guilty plea.

Bad lawyering, in my opinion.

These young men are victims and indeed are being used as scapegoats for a failure of the institution ( RCMP) who are suppose to protect us from people like James Rosco. thankyou for showing the pain that Shawn and Denise's families have been through, and pointing out the obvious questions, that needed to be asked.

It appears that ordinary people must be clairvoyant, even though, in this case the RCMP were not. Hennessey and Cheeseman were betrayed by their "lawyers" and the justice system. This is a very sad case and reflects badly on Canada and our "enlightened" system.

I just posted a comment on this story and apologize for the error I made in saying that Hennessey and Cheesman were found guilty of second degree murder, when in fact they've plead guilty to and are charged with manslaughter.

I have many questions still about what happened that night. First and foremost is why did the R.C.M.P go into the yard if they were only called there after Roszko took off with the vehicle? Why weren't they out looking for Roszko? He seemed to be able to drive freely around the country side. I do believe these guys deserve to pay for their crimes but their sentence was very harsh. Other people are right, you get a lesser sentence when you actually kill someone.
Another question is why wasn't that psycho behind bars? He caused grief for so many years but yet he still walked a free man.
I know there is still a lot we don't know and we probably never will know all the facts, Shawn wasn't being completely honest but then again the R.C.M.P were being completely honest either. Maybe if the justice system had worked the way it's supposed to, all parties would be alive and well today.

A crazed, angry loner with a record, a police force that made wrong judgements and hence very wrong moves, two young men fearful of the law and fearful for their own safety in the way, a justice system increasingly incapable of being fair or discerning and one has the story of what went wrong in Collateral Damage.
Thank you Mr. MacIntyre and staff.

I am appalled at the injustice of this tragedy! Shawn and Dennis's life have been ripped apart because they unfortunately were acquaintances of this crazy man. They were petrified of what he would do if they didn't cooperate.

Shawn would have been worse off if he had wrestled Roszko to the ground and killed him. I think they have all suffered enough and certainly do not belong in jail. They belong at home with their family caring for two the children.

Thank God for show's like the Fifth Estate, Who is ever going to have a look at sting operations and find out how wrong they are, we just witnessed 2 on the Fifth Estate, where short of using water boarding and other tactics like they did at Gitmo are being used to get confessions,If I was innocent and being accused like these guys were I'd be crapping myself, between the last two shows about stings and watching the hearing of Walter Dakanskie,It makes me wonder?? too many bad stories about the RCMP. I hope this goes right to the top of the Supreme Court, These too men do not deserve this,When I got threw watching I thought how terrible it was for the family's, of the RCMP,to loose there men like this, they the family's must know that Hennesy and Cheeseman did not go out and intentionally be part of something so brutal, in there heart of hearts how could they want a ending like this, This certainly looks a lot like pay back time, by the way one of guys who killed the gay fellow in Stanley Park, with a baseball bat got out served 4 years, but 12 and 15 years is OK for giving Roszco a ride to get him to hell away from your wife and children Sad Sad ending

A response to the following statement I found printed on here:

QUOTE "After reading some of these comments I feel ill. Shawn is a stand up guy who was scared for his family. He is absolutely guilty of keeping important information to himself, but put yourself in his shoes. Would any one of us imagine that someone we know would commit such an evil act? Why should Shawn and Dennis be any different from the rest of us? Guilty of murder?!!!! Are you kidding? What happened that day in Mayerthorpe was a horrible tragety but this injustice is also a tragety.
M.P. | Barrhead | Posted February 6, 2009 12:01 AM"

Okay - first of all - Shawn is a standup guy... Really? Where I come from a standup guy isn't trafficking drugs & stolen vehicle parts. He isn't lying to police to cover up his own illegal activity and He just plain isn't involved whatsoever with a scumbag like Roszko. I do believe he was scared for his family's safety that night. But again,when you associate yourself with criminals and you are a criminal yourself, is your family not at risk on a daily basis? I cannot fathom why the wife did not call the police as soon as her "standup" husband was forced to handover a high power rifle and forced to leave with Roszko. She was scared? Hello, your husband just left with a man at gunpoint basically against his will according to the interview. She claimed to have no prior knowledge of Roszko's criminal past, so why would she not call the police at that point. Makes no sense, except she's downplaying how well she knew Roszko, plain & simple. And she couldn't call because her "standup" husband was Roszko's business partner in crime. that is the bottom line. does that make Hennessey a murderer? No not at all, but please don't tell me what a standup guy he was and not expect people to see right through that sob story.

Wow the more I am reading about this tragedy the more I am becoming frustrated with your judicial system. I read "Alberta Justice Report on James Michael Roszko" submitted by Gordon K. Wong Q.B. and I was appalled by the number of violent acts that Roszko completed on citizens in the Mayer Thorpe community.
April 5, 1979
Charge: One count of making harassing telephone calls. Three counts of breaching conditions of his probation order. Result: Convicted. Sentenced to thirty days jail on the harassing telephone calls charge.
December 5, 1990
Charge: One count of uttering threats to cause death or serious bodily harm.
Result: Convicted after trial. Fined $200.
September 28, 1993
Charge: One count of assault.
Result: Stayed.
December 1, 1993
Charge: Between May 24, 1993 and May 29, 1993 point a firearm at
Bradley.
Between June 15, 1993 and July 15, 1993 point a firearm at
Bradley.
Between October 1, 1993 and November 15, 1993 counseling
Bradley to commit murder.
December 1, 1993 unlawful confinement of Bradley.
December 1, 1993 possession of a weapon for a purpose
dangerous to the public peace.
December 1, 1993 assaulting Bradley with a weapon.
December 1, 1993 breach of a condition of a recognizance
(have no contact with Conrad).
December 2, 1993 obstructing justice charge added at
preliminary inquiry.
Result: At preliminary inquiry: discharged on the counseling to commit murder charge, and discharged on the breach of recognizance charge at the invitation of the Crown. At trial on the remaining charges, the Crown called no further evidence, resulting in the trial judge directing an acquittal on all counts.
March 29, 1994
Charge: One count of sexual assault. One count of sexual touching.
Result: Found guilty at trial, sentenced to five years. Conviction appealed, new trial ordered. Found guilty at second trial, sentenced to two and a half years. Between January 1, 1983 and December 31, 1989, Roszko sexually assaulted Edward on multiple occasions.
January 1, 1995
Charges: Assaulting Edward with a weapon (pepper spray).
Possession of a prohibited weapon (pepper spray).
Possession of a weapon for a purpose dangerous to the
public peace (pepper spray).
Causing a disturbance.
One count of breach of recognizance.
Result: Assault and possession of prohibited weapon were stayed at trial, the remainder were withdrawn as arising from the same facts.
September 9, 1999
Charges: Aggravated assault on Gregory.
Assault with a weapon on Gregory.
Assault with a weapon on Harold.
Pointing a firearm at Gregory and Harold.
Use of a firearm while committing the indictable offense of aggravated assault.
Result: Crown called no evidence, resulting in acquittal.
It is my understanding that some of the reasons Roszko charges were stayed or he was acquitted however for me it is all about the facts that there are several charges laid by the police that involve violent or dangerous offences and therefore I continue to question why the RCMP would send 4 inexperienced police officers who were lightly armed into a situation where there was the potential for these 4 fallen officers to have their lives placed at risk. Which unfortunately was the end result. As I read through Mr. Wong’s report I questioned myself to how many chances does this violent SOB Roszko get before someone wakes up and realizes it was just a matter of time before he acted out in his threats. I do not blame the RCMP for the acquittal’s or the charges that were stayed. As many times they pursue charges on an individual only to have to deal with the judge involved in the case or the judicial system letting them down and RCMP hands are tied. To me I sincerely hope the judicial system is completely looked at as this was just one example of the justice system being completely incompetent. However I do find it very ironic that the "justice system" seems to have no problem sentencing Mr. Hennessey and Mr. Cheeseman and giving them what I believe is an exhorbant amount of time for making some stupid decisions for not contacting the RCMP about giving Roszko a drive to his farm. It just doesn't make sense to me how a monster like James Roszko can terrorize a community, utter death threats, cause bodily arm with a weapon, sexually assault a minor and receive very little time in jail. Yet two individuals who have no criminal records and granted they admitted eventually to lying to the police and providing Roszko with a rifle and ammunition and a ride that night receive 15 and 12 years respectively. However with that being said I do believe Mr. Hennessey had some outside interest in regarding to the grow up in the quonset hut. But in no means should he have received 15 years in prison which I understand works out to be 10 years and 4 months. The same goes for Mr. Cheeseman for being just a "bystander". I feel it would have made much more sense for these two men to have served about a third of that time and as part of their sentence attend schools and openly talk to teenagers about the ramifications of buying or selling drugs as well as befriending a violent person. Because to me to have to sit in front of a bunch of school kids and have these two men express to them the impact on their decisions and how it has impacted 4 fallen officers, their families as well as the two men and their lives and families has more impact than spending time in jail with murderers, rapist and other violent criminals. To me there is no need to rehabilitate Mr. Hennessey and Mr. Cheeseman as they obviously know what they did was wrong. And yes I am aware they didn't admit guilt until they were caught, but they still saved the 4 fallen officers families and the citizens of Mayer Thorpe the pain from having to go to trial and all the wounds would be re-opened again.
Finally to the families of the 4 fallen RCMP officers I cannot walk in your shoes and experience the pain and hurt that you people go through on a daily basis. So all I can do is say to you that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your families.

As well the Hennessey and Cheeseman families as they have lost too in this tragic event.

The facts are simple. They are guilty according to the Canadian Criminal Code. They admitted their involvement and guilt in court. The judge applied the sentence in accordance with the law. End of story!

Despite the Fifth Estates seemingly endless desire to prove otherwise, there was no RCMP conspiracy or witch hunt. They had evidence (cell phone records and a registered rifle) right from the start linking Hennessey and Roszko. These are not innocent bystanders!

There have been many posts made here with minimal knowledge of the charges and the confessions. I encourage people to visit the Edmonton Journal website where you can read about the complete story - not just what the Fifth Estate wants you to know.

I think the Fifth Estate did an most excellent job with this story. It wasn't one sided...it was meant to tell Shawn's side of the story. There is two sides to every story and up until now Shawn was not able to tell his. Some of the comments on here are ridiculous. If you would not have done the same thing as Shawn and given that "crazy" a ride under the pressure Shawn was under then I think you are all liars...of course you would have and I hope one day you are put in a similar position to prove to yourselves that you would have!! We all know that our Justice System failed Shawn and Dennis but it also failed the Fallen Four by having this idiot on the streets time and time again...Roszko should have been declared a dangerous offender long ago and this tradgedy may have been avoided. There are police officers posting comments on here that agree that this is wrong...what does that tell us...when one of their own argues that this was handled wrong from the very beginning. The RCMP need to do what is "right" and come forward because I strongly believe that there are members of this investigation and "Mr.Big Sting" that know that they have done wrong by these two men.

Now here's an interesting scenario....lets' say while Shawn Hennessey was at work one day, someone dropped an armed, dangerous and demented Mr.Roszko off at the HENESSEY home, knowing that he was probably going there to murder Hennessey's family but that person failed to call the RCMP. I wonder how Shawn and Dennis would've felt when they got the horrific news that their loved ones had been killed and there was a possibility that it could've been prevented?
Why did they plead guilty? Because they felt guilty. And they should.

After reading about and watching TV,my big question before was why did the boys change their plea....I now realize that their defence team must have reassured them that they would only get 3-5 years given the evidence being presented. This would appeal to them as their families have suffered financial and emotional strain, as well as the strain they themselves would be under. Unfortunately, this didn't happen. My husband and I have gone back and forth over the "statement of facts" released by the RCMP. This whole thing stinks! One thing sticks out...how did Rosco know what the police were doing? Phone evidence shows he contacted both his aunt and his mother. His aunt lived too far away to be aware of the events..this leaves his mother. Was it possible that she was the one providing him the info re what the RCMP was doing, otherwise, all he knew was that the bailiffs had arrived. From what I have read about their relationship, it is as likely that he ranted to her the same way he ranted to Hennessey and Cheeseman. Is there any evidence that she called the RCMP to warn them about him? Could she be considereed somewhat culpable in this whole mess. And what if the guys had called the RCMP as soon as they dropped Rosco off... would not the whole cavalry have gone charging out there, lights and sirens going? Rosco would have known that the boys had called (which was their fear) and what if he had evaded the police..who do you think he would be going after! If his intent was to 'get even'...why didn't he pick off the two members already there..what a perfect ambush...when it would be noticed that the members hadn't called in (or whatever they do), he could surmise that others would be sent to check it out...and he could pick them off also. But he didn't kill anyone that night...why? Just maybe he was in the hut waiting for them to leave so he could burn the place...however this plan changed when the other members showed up. Maybe he realized the jig was up...and here are four RCMP walking into his hiding place...with more coming...did he take the only way out he knew.

This is all supposition of course, but it is plausible. Those two guys, like the RCMP themselves, didn't really believe Rosco would go that far...did he really go there intending to kill everyone in sight or did he go with the mindset of destroying the remaining evidence against him. Did the idea of an ambush ever cross his mind...until he found that things were not going him way...instead of leaving, additional police were coming.

I am not taking sides here...but the evidence didn't prove without a reasonable doubt that those boys knew what Rosco was thinking. Whoever advised them to plead guilty needs to take a long hard look at what they have done. Once guilt is admitted, it is hard to change that unless new evidence is presented and that isn't going to happen as there is no new evidence. The law may have been applied, but justice definitely wasn't.

For those of you that took the time to write your comments here in support of Shawn and Dennis, please take the time to forward your comments to a number of other people.
Don't underestimate the "Power of Pen"!!
If you feel that this situation is a gross injustice, then step up to the plate and let your MLA, MP, Premier's Office, Crown Prosecutor's Office, the Minister of Justice, the Edtn. Journal, the Sun and your local newspaper.
It is quick and easy to copy and paste your e-mail. A handwritten letter is even better...or how about a phone call. Then in a week or two, send them off again, and again. If there is a public outcry, someone will have to listen and something may change for these young men.
Please take the time and ask your friends and relatives to do the same. This could easily be your son or mine in this situation. Your help can make a difference.
I know I will sleep better tonight knowing that I am doing something to help.

I cannot believe the families of the victims in this case actually feel any better knowing these 2 young men are serving sentences behind bars. Do they feel safer? Do they feel justice has been served? Do they think the community they lived in is a better place now? Does the judge? They gave someone a ride under duress - the same thing anyone else would have done under such stressful circumstances. The loss of life at the scene was a terrible shame and this scapegoat scheme is simply multiplying the senseless human pain and suffering.

Well I have more faith in the justice system than I do tabloid reporters. Mistakes are made by everyone involved but it is too easy to cry conspiracy after you get caught. Lets remember... the RCMP are not able to comment for leage reasons and that is not an admission of guilt. Reading these comments of views supporting these two men, I can't help but wonder how blind people can be. I don't believe one word of this interview. Every word was measured and scripted and Mr. Hennessey deserves what he got. Shame on this program and shame on the CBC, once respected for journalism, now just another tabloid selling commercials.

Normal people call the police when a guy shows up at thier door, or maybe 90 minutes later when they got rid of the gun slingerand thier family is safe. Don't try and paint yourself a hero " I could have, I should have wrestled him to the ground and disarmed him, then shot him". Now that would have been a smart thing to do.. I hope you can read the sarcasm. For the conspiracy theorists, I hope you or your family never have to call 911 or fall victim to violence but remember, its the RCMP who WILL protect you, no matter how ignorant your comments on this discussion board.

Just a short comment in response to the comments declaring W5 to have portrayed a 'one sided interview.' This was an interview with Shawn Hennessey and his wife. Who's story did you expect to hear??

The RCMP have commented countless times, and each time they use the opportunity to present their story. They will continue to do so.

Before you form an opinion and make comments, ask yourself this. WHO IS BEING INTERVIEWED?

What a travesty! Upon hearing Shawn's account of how this horrible event unfolded, I have to say that he had no choice but to act the way he did. If he had resisted that lunatic there is every reason to believe that he, his wife and children would have died as well. What purpose can it serve to send these two young men to jail? It will create nothing but more tragedy. Yes, Shawn made a bad choice when he chose to become involved with James Roszko, but who has not made mistakes such as this in their youth. This decision needs to be overturned and Shawn and Dennis returned to their families and community. They have suffered enough! The RCMP brass should be accountable for what happened to their young officers. Imagine sending these fellows two weeks out of the academy to deal with a known psychopath. Craziness!

I as a canadian can't believe that this is happening to one of my fellow candians. Seem's to me they need someone to blame . Blame the one that killed all the men that day.Or the police for sending rookie police men ( one of the police men with no gun). Not that poor boy and his family . Yes someone should be to blame. but that man is dead. This is a very sad sad sad story. I as a young person with a husband and a child feel for this family . I hope the people that put the 2 two boy's away can't sleep at night.and how do the family's of the fallen police men feel about 2 innocent man being blamed.

To the one of the Queens Cowboys....

I, We as Canadians appreciate what you do, I for myself was heart broken over the four fallen men, I cried like they were mine, and in my heart they were mine. Our RCMP's, Our Fellow Canadians, our protection in this country the very men like you who do a job that few want to do, we appreciate you.

The people who failed the four men, were and are the very people right now who write on this site saying they new Jim Roscoe as a Nut Job, he was crasy, wanted to hurt the RCMP. The very people who new him best, they failed. Have an intervention and get him locked up. They failed, the senior RCMP should of known how insane this man was, the system failed these four men.

I do not believe that those two kids new the extent of how crased this lunatic was. They got caught up in something bigger than them and Hennesey did not think. They were stupid, and we have to forgive them for being stupid. Not put them in jail for 15 years and 12 years.. It's not right and you know it's not right. Given the same circumstance I think I would of given Roscoe a ride. Get Roscoe away from my kids as quick as I can. Would I of sold drugs...absolutely not, but if someone is to come to my home with a gun, I will protect my kids as ALL cost...

When I looked into Hennessey eyes, there is not a mean bone in his body so now another family with kids is left behind to fend for themselves, just like the fallen four. Again it' sad.

Just like when the grave of RCMP Johnson was moved, I watched his brother and I thought can it get any worse for this family. Godspead It's all so heartbreaking.

Stay safe in your profession and again Thank you

What a one-sided programme. There seems to be an obvious slant towards these so-called victims. Well I don't buy it. He (Hennessey) says that for all of the time that the three of them were driving Roszko never said one little word about cops at his farm, wanting to get even with cops, etc etc?? That’s hard to believe. Some kind of rant must have come out of Roszko during that 50 KM ride, known cop-hater that he was. I think Shawn Hennessey is lying about that, I think Roszko did say something about getting back at the cops. And that’s what his brother-in-law admitted to.

Having his wife beside him sniffing and tearing up for the whole 41 mins is meant to gain sympathy, but I can’t forget her part in this tragedy. Why didn’t the Fifth Estate ask Hennessey any questions about how the attempted cover up, lying about the grandfather's gun, getting their relatives to lie for them about the gun? Why didn’t they expose that part of the story? Shawn Hennessey can and did lie about lots of things surrounding his involvement, and she, being his wife, was a part of that too.

Hennessey and Cheeseman got what they deserved for being accessory to the crime. Too bad if they didn't know in advance exactly what was going to happen, well nobody can foretell the future. But if they provided a high-powered gun and provided the transportation for the perpetrator to the place where he would do the crime, then that makes them accomplices.

This is not the first time that I have heard of the RCMP pointing the finger. It seems to me that they were under the heat about the situation so they needed to point the blame somwhere else. To me there should be an investigation by the fedral and provincial governments into the RCMP. I think that everday that goes by the RCMP get more and more corrupt. My heart goes out to Shawn Hennessay. This man and his family will be ripped apart forever. How the hell was Shawn and his brother in law sapost to know. If James Rosco sat in a field all night and watched his property then thats probably when he made the plan to ambush the RCMP officiers. Don't get me wrong I understand the loss of the fallen four to there families. But come on do you think that the justice system is doing the right thing by setting up two men for a situation that could of easily been avoided if the RCMP woiuld have used there heads a bit? Also the RCMP should be ashamed of themself for useing one of there officers to flaunt themself in front of a young boy. Isn't that a form of prostitution? Hopefully there is a lawyer or a judge out there that has enough dignity to come forward and help these two young men and fight back against the RCMP. Isn't the RCMP's saying " To serve and protect"? Well I don't belive it.

WOW…I can’t believe the number of comments that have been made on the “gross injustice” that was dished out to two innocent bystanders. Our Gestapo justice system has once again show us that it is alive and well in Canada. How can the judge, the local RCMP, the National RCMP headquarters, the Minister of Justice AND the four families of the slained RCMP sleep at night. Don’t get me wrong…I have a great deal of sympathy for all the families of the slained officer BUT the man who is responsible is dead and by allowing the justice system to punish two innocence people will not or should not easy you suffering.

Please may I suggest to all the people that have taken the time to email comments to the CBC to email the same comments to the idiot Minister of Justice. Email webadmin@justice.ca or mail
The X Robert Douglas Nicholson
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
284 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8

Thank you for the wonderful job you did in putting this show together. It is about time Shawn finally got to tell his story and I look forward to the day Dennis gets to tell his.
I have spent the last 2 hours reading all the comments and certainly appreciate all the support the boys are receiving. I think it is important for everyone to know that the Hennessey/Cheeseman families are not against the RCMP. We know that the Mayerthorpe RCMP did everything they could to get Mr. Roszko off the streets and had arrested and charged him over 40 times. The Justice System let them down by not convicting him and\or keeping him in jail. What we are against is the tactics used by the RCMP in their 'Mr. Big' stings. They have admitted they have a near 100% confession rate using this sting but it appears they are not concerned about whether the confessions are true or not. I'm sure they do catch alot of guilty people but what about the innocent. Isn't that why we no longer have capital punishment in this country - to prevent innocent people from being executed?

First, compliments to CBC and the Fifth Estate in conducting a fair and measured interview with Shawn Hennesey.

Revealing for sure. Sadly the story provides us with yet another recent example of the injustice that is meted out by our justice system when one of their own are involved. Maintaining respect and extending benefit of doubt to those in authority becomes increasingly difficult when those entrusted to protect and mete out justice use their powers for self-serving motives. In this case perhaps there is a fear of civil lawsuits coming from the families of the slain officers for the negligence demonstrated on the part of the RCMP for example. Who knows?

If Roscoe had told H&C at some point that he was going back to the farm to shoot the RCMP officers (the basis for the H&C conviction), where did Roscoe get that information in order to communicate it to H&C in the first place?

As I see it H&C will be spending many years in prison because the justice system needed a culprit. Because Roscoe is dead there is no way to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Roscoe knew the RCMP were on site when he borrowed the gun. These boys have been convicted on that assumption.

Even if we assume on the basis of how events unfolded, that Roscoe did know the RCMP were on his property, then why are the RCMP not equally responsible for why the crime occurred? Someone must have leaked that information to Roscoe. Secondly if there was any concern whatsoever about Roscoe's mental state, his view of the RCMP, or that he might find out the RCMP were on his property, why did the RCMP not know where Roscoe was prior to his showing up. Is this not gross neglect on the part of the RCMP? H&C and famililies are now paying the price for this negligence instead of the RCMP. As I see it hey are at minimum, equally responsible for the deaths of their own officers.

This story reflects a sham and a shame that perpetuates in our justice system. I fear corruption in Canada's justice system will have it's own consequences that are most disturbing. This conviction makes me a little less judgmental when I hear stories of police abuse outside of our own country.

i would like to know why the RCMP felt the need to treat shawn wife so very badly when they arrested shawn she was only coming out of the house to see what was going on i feel horrible for all families but i think if a man came to my door with agun demanding a ride i would follow his orders and if i was the wife i would not call the cops for fear he would come back and kill my family and as far as selling drugs for rosko has no one ever done anything in there life they regret i think the RCMP should be charged for assault and battery after all any domestic diputes any man slaps a woman they are charged with assault so i say fair is fair i think what they are doing to shawn his family and his brother inlaw is bullshit the RCMP are looking for a scapegoat i dont really care what anybody says i cried right along with shawn and his wife what about thier children they now are with out a dad i would also like to know why those two rookie cops were left out there by them selves where was thier supervisor? why did they have to stay out there i am sure what ever was out there wasnt going to disappear overnight and i also believe he was waiting for the officers or bailiffs to leave i believe shawn and dennis are innocent after all the gun that shawn gave to rosko was not even fired. i also feel awful for the RCMP lives that were lost and thier families to the fifth estate good job keep us posted

Let me get this straight.......So a local nut bar arrives at my house one dark evening w/ a gun in his hand telling me he wants my rifle and a ride to his property. My kids and wife are at home, the kids are asleep. I am thinking I want to get this nut bar (whom the local police have had numerous run-ins with over many years) away from my family ASAP as he has a loaded gun and is mentally unstable.Of course I would give him a ride and hand over the rifle (he still has a loaded pistol pointed at me remember) to get him away from my family. And for this, the justice system hands out a sentence of 15 years???!!!

Tell me what other option this man had at that very moment? I would be interested what the RCMP are trained to do when a loaded pistol is pointed at their head.

This was a hostage situation, not a colaboration.
Perhaps the tragedy would not have occurred if the RCMP had done a better job dealing w/ this local nutbar who had a rap sheet as long as your arm, on previous occassions.

Personally, the case sounds like entrapment to me. Too bad the RCMP did not pursue putting Roszko behind bars w/ the same determination they have pursued Mr. Hennessey. I guess Mr.Hennessey was easier to deal with.

The RCMP and the Canadian justice system should be ashamed. This is outrageous that this type of monkey court is happening in Canada.

After watching this story on the Fifth Estate it brings up the question What kind of a justice system do we have? Everyone was terrified of this Rosko guy, why was he not taken into custody prior to the police going out there. The Bailiffs had apparently been there, they knew of the illegal activity. Why could they not have had this idiot in custody before they decided to do their illegal search and seizure. Why because of the ineptness of the investigation team are 2 young men facing sentences in jail. Should they have called the police after they dropped him off, maybe, he would have been maybe in jail for what 6 months a year...and then what he gets out and who do you think this crazy person would come after for revenge. I don't think he would have gone after the police I believe he would have went after those kids and their families as they are easy targets. He was unstable man and it is easy for anyone to speculate what was the right course of action for Hennessey to take, but I would like to know what any other average person would have done when faced with a loaded 9 mm gun from a crazy man. This does not warrant these guys to be in prison for the sentences they given. Should he have lied no, but fear does strange things to a person. How can you trust our justice system after this or the RCMP for that matter. The judge and the RCMP should hang their heads in shame. Two wrongs don't make a right. I am disgusted with the whole thing. I feel terrible for the families of the RCMP but these kids are victims as well not of Rozko's so much but of a justice system looking for redemption for a investigation that was blatantly mishandled.

Thank you to the Fifth Estate team for providing the other side of the story. A particularly good public service on your part is the posting of the Justice Macklin’s Reasons for Judgment and the other documentation. I encourage all to read the material.

At the time of posting my thoughts here, there are already 300+ comments to your show last night. That must be some kind of record for the Fifth Estate. I have read a little of a third of the posts and it is clear that the vast majority do not think justice has been served by sentencing Hennessey and Cheeseman for such long terms of imprisonment. Many acknowledge that in hindsight, the two young men have made some poor decision, but many feel that given the same circumstance they would have likely come to the same decisions.

What I have also noticed is the vast majority do not understanding our system of justice. Of course, how would anyone know without working in it or having the misfortune of dealing with the system for an extended period? I am not a professional in the system, nor have I had dealings with the criminal justice system, but I have been involved in the civil justice system as a litigant for many years and took it upon myself to learn and understand as much as is possible as a lay person as it was my only hope in gaining some fairness for me and my children.

Technically, the police, prosecution, and judiciary are all autonomous from each other. Certainly, they work together to some extent, but only within the system as a whole. The law limits their working relationships. The police are to enforce the criminal code and do so at their discretion based on their belief. They have very wide sweeping powers. The primary reason Canada is not consider a ‘police state’ is because the police are not directly run by the Crown (i.e. the government) or the Judiciary. This can be a very fine line. The role of the Crown is to bring all the evidence to the attention of both the court and the defense in service of the public interest and aid of the court. Ethically their job is not to win a case or take the side of police. It is not supposed to be a contest with the Crown playing the role as one of the combatants, but how often this duty is honoured is very debatable. Just look at the 2002 Reasons for Judgment of Justice Ritter of Alberta in the Jason Dix case. It is still available online. The Chief Crown of Alberta resigned over it. The sting operation in this one was even more ridiculous and the Crown unethical and unlawful conduct outrageous.

As for the Hennessey and Cheeseman case, notwithstanding the RCMP witch hunt, the Crown once again seems ethically challenged. The first clue is when they charge Hennessey and Cheeseman with first degree murder. This appears to be tactical and if so is ethically WRONG. It is the Crown role to decide how the matter will proceed upon the police completing their investigation. First degree murder is a bit more than a stretch. I highly doubt they had such a case, but it certainly had the desired effect on the public and the accused. Disgusting.................

As for Justice Macklin, well like the Crown he also has autonomy to conduct his duties within his discretionary powers. He could have rejected the plea bargain and instead run the trial, but here is the nut of the entire matter. The accused, Hennessey and Cheeseman, did not have the MONEY to go to trial. As I have observed over the years, the justice is not blind and in fact comes in several flavours. There is a flavour for rich/poor, male/female, majority/minority, professional/non-professional, connected/no connections, etc. etc. There is pretty is much a flavour for every group in society, but the dominant factor is always the $$$$$$$$’s. No doubt, defense counsel explained the reality of how the system really works, and perhaps included some other factors like the particular players and biases at work in this case. Given the stark reality of the system, or should I say the game, and the fact the defendants cannot afford due process; we will never know. Justice should be seen to be done, that did not happen here. The plea bargain and Justice Macklin’s piece of literature is not the reasonable facsimile he believes it to be.

Justice has not been served, but revenge certainly has. With each independent level of the system doing their part. So who then benefits? Certainly not the dead police officers or their families. Certainly not the public. I for one am disappointed at every level of the process and my respect continues to wane. Certainly not the RCMP. They may have focused attention away from themselves for a short period, but this attempt is clearly not working and only draws more attention the hypocrisy of this case. What’s more, the RCMP has a serious public relations problem and they keep making matters worse for themselves by their poor decisions. I know there are some very honourable members in the RCMP, but the organization as a whole is a joke. A bad one at that. Some honesty and integrity would help improve their image, which has been on a downward path for years, but they just don’t get. They are clearly out of touch with the rest of us, or should I say, the people they are supposed to protect. The longer I live, the less I feel protected. The organization is so inept they cannot even protect their own image or integrity. But hey, they think they got their pound of flesh out this case, but at what price.

As for the Crown, they have failed their duty and Justice Macklin is obviously playing to a select group given the wording of his Reasons for Judgment. His entire judgment is based on what Hennessey and Cheeseman ought to have known. The RCMP claim to be train professionals and certainly had far more information about James Roszko than either of these two young men. Funny thing is that the entire justice system is holding these two young men to a standard to which they do not hold themselves. This is the very definition of hypocrisy. Thank you Justice Macklin for taking the time to lay out the contradictions for us all to see. I now have so much more respect for law enforcement and the administration of justice.

What still bothers me though is I think Hennessey’s fear of Roszko was very really. So what was his error in judgment? Surely one doesn’t really believe the police are able to protect him and his family. I know I certainly do not. Was he supposed to risk his and his family’s lives by attempting to disarm Roszko? Perhaps Hennessey did what most reasonable people would have done, which is appease Roszko at time in order to get rid of him. Then, of course, after the fact Hennessey could have warned the RCMP when Roszko left the vehicle. But, even if given a warning, what if so much as one RCMP officer and Roszko are killed in a gun battle? Given the bias in this case and the reasoning of all levels of the justice system as we now know, I think the outcome for Hennessey would be much the same. With the real killer being dead and unavailable to the RCMP et al, that just leaves Hennessey. Yep, Hennessey’s big mistake was befriending James Roszko whether or not marijuana is involved makes no difference in this regard.

Wow. I guess you, CBC, have succeeded. You have generated a lot interest and hits on your site on this one. It doesn't matter what the facts or truth are in a story, as along as you have a story. Yes, it's a human interest story, right? Too bad you can't further the public's understanding of the case and how the justice system works. Do you really, truely, think a judge would sentence anyone without convicting evidence? You have not presented ANY EVIDENCE used in this case. And you neglected to mention that legal aid could assist these boys (not men, they don't act like men), if they need it. Why did they plead? Only remorse? I don't know, that's what you suggest but you didn't ask THAT question. As they acted cowardly in the past, I could assume they would fare worse if they went to trial. What else do we not know?

My heart aches for these two boys. I have two boys myself, the same age as Shawn and Dennis. the rcmp (they do not deserve upper case letters) need a complete overhaul. Given a badge, a gun and corrupt senior officers, they are brainwashed into believing they are above the law. I am totally ashamed to be associated with such a corrupt national police force. I grew up with a family member who was in the rcmp and i havent spoken to him since 1978. do you wonder why? i could tell you stories about how far back the injustice stems. i believe what goes around comes around and one day soon, Shawn and Dennis will have due Justice.

Selling weed for a criminal who should have been in jail in the first place (where was the justice system?) does not make one a murderer. Loaning Grandfathers's rifle under duress, and which was never used in committing a crime does not make one a murderer. Considering these two factors, it is plain to see that the RCMP are on a witch-hunt and are out to "get their man" come hell or high-water -- even if the man/men are innocent. Another thought: What kind of defense team did these guys have? A very poor one I would say. Where is Canada's Johnny Cochrane? Conclusion: I hope justice will be served in the end. They are NOT

Our system let everyone down in this case. Had Rosco been put in jail from the beginning and other people felt confident enough to testify within the system for the other unreported crimes, that man would not of destroyed so many lives that day and forward. Even though these two boys could of called the police, and should of, our bleeding hart justice system let everyone down. HOW MANY TIMES do these abusive type of people have to recommit crimes before the ultimate sacrifice has to be given. I have no doubt there will be awful such events reoccurring again and WHO’s or HOW MANY lives will be destroyed again.

Rather than making the police out to be questionable in this matter why are you not also putting HARD questions forward to the people that make the laws and hand down the sentences.

For example the criminal code stated that the sentence for a break and enter of a dwelling house can be up to life imprisonment. Yet we hand out community service, fines, probation or alternative measurers. Who is really letting us down.

I have been a police officer for 20 years and I am tired of seeing the scum go free time and time again after we have asked for detention and then re-arresting these people, for additional crimes, because they know consequences are laughable. Some Justice of the Peace (especially) or judge thinks they know what’s best for a community then we have to go back to the victims and tell them not to worry it will work out. Well BS to that, it does not work out and people should be concerned for there safety and property.

Why do i do this job.... I'm not sure anymore!

Having followed this story in print, on TV and listening to talk show comments from all over Canada since the beginning , I find very interesting that the only people to mention that the RCMP involved in this case screwed up big time are the journalists from The Fifth Estate The senior officers of the Marthorpe Detachment must have known what a dangerous individual Rosko was. Who ever was in charge of the RCMP the day of the murders did not send those constables prepared for a confrontation with Rosko. That seems obvious as the did not even have any assault weapons or even any rifles, just their service pistols. Not much match for Rosko's military assault rifle. Why were so few RCMP constables sent out to deal with guy who had a lengthy record of assorted convictions.? It seems the whole operation was poorly planned, under manned and under armed. The elaborate investigation including the Mr. Big Sting was desperate attempt in damage control to take the focus of themselves and find any scape goat to live up to motto " We Always Get Our Man " I am not saying that Cheeseman and Hennesay are guiltless but they are unjustly the only one's that the finger gets pointed at. I say the RCMP are guilty of incompetence that put their own constables in danger that ultimately ended in their demise. Can you imagine if no accomplishes where found in this case. The families of the deceased constables would have launched multi million dollar law suites against the RCMP. The RCMP do not have a very good record for successful sting operations. What about the Jason Dix case. Crown prosecutor Piragoof and the RCMP falsified evidence to try and convict Dix of a double murder. Piragoof was fired from the prosecutors office, reprimanded by the Alberta law society and now works for a law firm representing criminals. One of RCMP members who lied in this case got a promotion. Jason Dix was awarded $750,000 in compensation. There are probably many more case that we never heard off and never will. I am aware that this type of sting operation is not legal in some other places in the world as it is entrapment and violates the civil liberties of the accused. We should all be outraged at the blatant irresponsible behavior of the RCMP. Write your MP,MLA.Your Provincial Justice Minister, Your federal Justice Minister, The Prime Minister, Your Premier and anyone else in authority that can impact change so this never happens again.

G.Pallister
Edmonton AB

I was so disappointed with the entire show. I was looking forward to watching an unbiased presentation of the facts. The journalist not only prompted positive type answers from the Hennesseys but his demeaning tone towards the RCMP was sad to hear. As I said, I simply wanted to watch an unbiased show as I had been reading so many conflicting stories. I thought the Fifth Estate would present that - obviously not - and how disappointing.

I can not beleive that CBC aried such a one sided story. you made two loser drug dealers look like they were the victims. I was discused that Shawn Henessays wife sat there and cried asking the RCMP Officers families to have sympathy for her!!Please. They had alot of time to come forward to police with there story. only if you are guilty and hiding somthing would you go and hide your involvment as they did. I hope this lets criminals aware that involvment in criminal activety gives you jail time as you deserve. Please don't disrespect the RCMP families with this one sided lawyer coached crap

What a piece of biased journalism from Linden MacIntyre and The Fifth Estate.How can you believe this coward Hennessey? He knew there were RCMP at the farm,otherwise why would he drop Roscoe off in a nearby field so he could sneak up on them? He had to know people were in danger when Roscoe had several guns and wanted to come in the back way to his own farm.MacIntyre shows his bias by saying"half baked confession" and"unwittingly helped"...give me a break! He also says Hennessey will spend 15 years in prison,when he knows that isn't true.The judge already has knocked 5 years off and with our revolving door at the parole board,he will probably be out in a little over 3 years.Of course Linden MacIntyre wouldn't want the truth to get in the way of the biased slant he wants to potray.Typical CBC left wing journalism.

This tragedy will never be over for many family and friends of the 4 dead RCMP officers and my deepest sympathies remain with them.

However a new tragedy seems to be emerging, and one that will remain for all Canadians until the truth of these events are fully understood and held accountable for. We deserve truth and appropriate justice for any wrongdoing, and never be satisfied with anything less. This case is not over.

You have got to be kidding me. I can't believe that the CBC had the audacity to disseminate this pathetic attempt to paint a picture of Hennessey and Cheesman as 'victims'. I wonder how many takes it took to get the tears just right?

Anyone with the LEAST bit of judgement or ability to think critically should see that Hennessey is nothing more than a selfish criminal looking to protect his own interests above all else.

Where were the media sound bites from his family lying about their innocence since the arrests? Poor victims that they are. Where was the comment about his family having knowledge - and also lying to police? There are so many things missing from your story that it would take a week to discuss what they are. Here's a question.... if they didn't call police due to fear.... why didn't they call as soon as they found out that Rosko was dead? Not much of a threat from six feet under I don't suppose.... perhaps there was another reason.....

This has to be one of the most biased and unprofessional attempts at journalism that I have ever been witness to. This is the type of reporting that I've come to expect from the National Enquirer, not the CBC. The CBC didn't just lose their hockey song, they've lost their minds.

Linden MacIntyre should be ashamed of himself. I hope his colleagues in the business call him out for this charade. My hope is that the naive Canadians amongst us don't actually accept this bunk as anything resembling the truth. The only true words I could find (three words in total) in this entire "interview" were uttered by Hennessey when he said "I didn't care".

So Hennessey doesn't trust the justice system hey? Well, it appears to have done its job this time.... if he did nothing wrong, why would he fear a life sentence? The burden is on the Crown to prove beyond a reasonable doubt..... Maybe they pled guilty because he and his lawyers realized the Crown had met and exceeded its burden. I'm also confident that a Judge is not allowed to accept a guilty plea from someone that only pleads so because their defence is too expensive.

Shawn, its not the justice system we can't trust. Its the Media - and criminals like you.

RCMP spent 2 million tax dollars to frame a couple of petty criminals with first degree murder principally because they were too scared to make a phone call. No they didn't come forward. When you know there's a witch hunt on do you step forward and say - "yeah, well I'm kind of a small time witch?" The Mayerthorpe massacre was more a result of negligent police work. And the crown prosecutor that claimed Hennessy and Cheeseman's actions were equivalent to pulling the trigger? Talk about sensationalism - join a drama club and stay out of our courts!

I've read that:

Hennessey gets 15 years, minus three years for the early guilty plea, and minus 19.5 months for time served. The actual prison term is 10 years and 4.5 months.

Dennis Cheeseman gets 12 years, minus three years for the early guilty plea and minus 21.5 months for time served. The actual term is seven years and 2.5 months.

I've also read that:

According to an agreed statement of facts, Hennessey helped Roszko because he was part of the marijuana grow-operation, and Cheeseman helped because he was Hennessey's brother-in-law.

Hennessey wiped down his grandfather's rifle, then Cheeseman put gloves on and put the rifle in a pillowcase before they gave it to Roszko, along with the box of ammunition.

Cheeseman suggested to Hennessey that they call the police, but Hennessey discouraged that idea.

None of this was mentioned in the 5th estate interview....... ???????????

Thankyou to the CBC,The Fifth Estate, and to Mr Macintyre for finally giving us the truth about the story behind the story. The story was one of unbelievable tragedy.Four young RCMP members shot down in cold blood. One of the officers was only days into his career. I with most of our country grieved for them and their families. I have always held the RCMP in the highest of regard and respect. Until now. We have in our country another tragic result of a known danger to society not being delt with by the system and it clearly appears that the RCMP are covering their incompetence. The other story is the tragic events that unfolded for another family namely the Hennesseys. What now? I grieve for this family also. They are the scapegoats for the RCMP hirarchy. The man who shot the police cannot be convicted because he shot himself so we must convict someone else. These two young men were convenient and put a face on the crime. Our justice system is fataly flawed and this judge , Eric Macklin is basking in his appointment and untouchable position.
I would ask the Fifth Estate to continue as you have with other stories to keep us apprised further as this tragic story continues to unfold. I don't believe the justice system and the upper levels of the RCMP should be allowed to think that this story is a closed case.

Who can tell me where I can read the Agreed Statement of Facts from this case. I've read exerpts from Police Statements - and a lot of people are right here in saying the Linden only asked leading questions, making Hennessey look a lot more innocent than he is....

Until now I have always liked Linden MacIntyre, but I was disappointed with his incomplete interview of Hennessy. Did he not read the Agreed Statement of Facts? Why not ask Hennessy why he agreed that the following was true:

- both Hennessy & Cheeseman knew armed conflict was a real possibility and the situation was clearly trouble
- while driving Roszko to Roszko's property, Roszko ranted and complained about the RCMP and that he would get even with them
- the accused could see police lights on Roszko's property
- after leaving Roszko, Cheeseman said they should phone police, but Hennessy said no

Hennessy & Cheeseman both had good legal counsel. Hennessy would know at most he would face a life sentence without the possiblity of parole for 25 years, and not multiple life sentences (that don't happen in Canada). Pathetic.

After reading some of these comments I feel ill. Shawn is a stand up guy who was scared for his family. He is absolutely guilty of keeping important information to himself, but put yourself in his shoes. Would any one of us imagine that someone we know would commit such an evil act? Why should Shawn and Dennis be any different from the rest of us? Guilty of murder?!!!! Are you kidding? What happened that day in Mayerthorpe was a horrible tragety but this injustice is also a tragety.

I Am not a lawyer but I have been kind of following this ever since it began as I live neer Mayerthorpe. I just cant believe the things the RCMP have done.
Why are these men in jail? because they suposidly broke the law, well what have the RCMP been doing.
In the bad day in barrhead program an RCMP officer stated he consuled his 9 yr old daughter to commit murder,He stated that he left a loaded handgun in the house and showed her how to fire it and if James Rosco came to thier house to shoot him. he also admited they roughed up Rosco to intimidate him, they charged him 34 times and only got 4 convictions now to me that is more
a case of harrasment than a criminal running wild.
How does an individual scare the entire RCMP detachment into being able to do as he or she pleases?
Its a sad day all round for the Dead oficers and the RCMP at large .

My husband and I were horrified to watch what happened to people so close to our own town.
I can not imagin having to be responsible for my friends thoughts or actions, even ones I have know all my life. How is anyone to know the mind of a mad man? How is anyone to know the mind of a sane man? If my friend was to commit suicide and I was the last person to see him, does that make me a murderer for not stopping him, for not predicting what he was going to do.
If people were able to do this, we would not have the crime levels we do. We could stop people before the fact. Of course we all know this is in a fantacy world, not the one we live in.
The police made a mistake. The cops were in over their heads. The cops were young and untrained for the situation they were in. It seems to me the swat team, mediators and a large amount of experienced people should have handled this matter. Think first, act second.
Young people,and that includes cops, act first think second. The best thing to be said of age, is patience, wisdom and understanding. None of which were used for this whole situation, including the arrest of people who couldn't have predicted nor stopped the tragety to come. How do some people sleep at night, and that includes cops.

I forgot to ask, where does one complain about such
bias and poor journalism. I hope the RCMP membership
lauch such a complaint, and maybe consult lawyers to
commence some sort of legal action against the CBC and McIntrye for this BS storey.

Mr. HENNESSEY sure pulled the wool over the eyes of Mr. McIntyre and half the posters on this site. I am glad the Judge, Crown Prosecutors , RCMP investigators
saw through the lies that Hennessey was throwing out.
The CBC is advertising this 5 th estate storey as the "whole truth" of what happened. Why didnt Mr McIntre ask the questions about the Statement of FACTS that the accused and their lawyers ADMITTED to.
Mr.McIntyre is trying to cover up his last storey he made on this topic where he was painting the Hennessey & Cheeseman and innoicent victims. I see the CBC has a documentary coming up " the Truth about Liars" maybe Mr. McIntye should watch it and learn when somone is pulling the wool over his eyes.
A poor excuse of a " investigational journalist"
Ill know now not to waste my time watch his stories.

I rather enjoyed both listening to and watching Lyndon MacIntyre on radio & TV up until this interview. As a result I must now reconsider his previous work.
This interview with Hennessey & his wife is shamefully one sided.
It's impossible to watch this 2nd rate bit of journalism and not wonder why Hennessey wouldn't go to the police with the information he had even directly after the murders, except that it is apparent he didn't in order to cover his hide. If Hennessey was afraid for his life and for the life of his family the night Roszko appeared at his doorstep, how could he not follow that thought process through to what could potentially happen to others when he "drove him home". I'm sorry for his family, but his actions are contemptible and sadly, provide a sorrowful morality tale for us all.
It's an ugly, tragic event and utterly regrettable. However, it did happen and it is vitally important to be responsible for his actions.

I commend CBC for airing this interview. Shawn needed to have his side of the story told. There is no Justice in this case, just more tragedy heaped on already horrific tragedy. In my mind, Roszko had no idea he was going to kill 4 RCMP officers, he had no idea there were any RCMP on his property. There is no way Shawn and Dennis could have known Roszko was going to kill these men. As for it being their fault because if they hadn't dropped him off where they did, he wouldn't have been there to pull the trigger. This is just wishful thinking. Rosko was trying to hide his truck so they didn't find it, he obviously didn't expect to end up dead. If he hadn't gotten a ride, I think he would have just hidden his truck closer to home and still snuck up on the mounties. Shawn and Dennis should be home with their families, not facing years in prison. Many have belittled the fact that they ran out of funds for their defence, saying that there is legal aid. That is true, but legal aid pays a very small fraction of the amount defence lawyers charge. A defence lawyer that starts out charging his regular rate is not likely to look too kindly on his income being reduced to probably a 10th of what they expect. To get a new legal aid lawyer means that you are more than likely getting a much less experienced lawyer.
For all you out there wanting to help, you should go to the Facebook Groups 1) Free Shawn Hennessey, and also 2) Opponents of RCMP Mr Big Sting. I hope the fifth estate continues to shine the light on this case and other Mr Big Cases. This sting is going to be found to be single handedly responsible for a horrendous amount of wrongful convictions. The problem is it will likely take at least 10 years for any of these to be resolved. Mr MacIntyre, there are many more Mr Big Stories out there. Some of these are the cases of 1) Pat Fischer, 2) Wade Skiffington, 3) Peter Fliss, 4) Glen Franz, 5) Burns and Rafay, 6)Omar. There are many more. I am not in a position to categorically state that any of these are absolutely innocent, except for Pat Fischer. However, I do fully believe that there is something wrong with these cases and they deserve at the very least some expert investigation.
Even though the plea bargain is not the result I was hoping for in this case, I still hope that it will help shed more light on the Mr Big Sting. There is no one in this country who is not at risk and likely to be wrongfully convicted as a result of a Mr Big Sting if for some reason they become a target of this sting. Anyone who wants to help fight this sting, or help Shawn and Dennis is welcome to contact me at lindafpf@telus.net. We need all the help we can get.

I feel that there was a terrible injustice done upon these 2 victims. Why did the higher up RCMP officer that knew Roszko send in 4 young RCMP officers knowing full well what kind of person Roszko was, he sent them a death certificate & now the RCMP want someone else they can blame so why not these guys who apparently gave him a gun & a ride & how were they to know what was going to happen as there had been so many idle threats over the years. I think the judge made a huge mistake here & I hope it is rectified so these 2 guys can go home.

hennessy was protecting his family the night rozko appeared on his doorstep. i would have done the same thing.

i can't help but get the distinct feeling that the world places more value on the life of a police officer than of our children, husbands and wives. does this strike anyone else as sick?

Wow...what a story! My heart goes out to the Hennessey family. 15 years behind bars for driving a dangerous man home. Karla Homolka gets 12 years for brutally sexually assaulting and murdering two young girls and her own sister! Where is the justice?

Let me see if I can make sense of this: A man who, in 2006, knifed and killed a 21-year old man outside a nightclub in Calgary, was sentenced to a three-year sentence for manslaughter. ("Parole board releases killer tied to gang", Calgary Herald, February 5, 2009).

Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Cheeseman, who held no weapon, inflicted no direct damage and apparently had no more knowledge than the RCMP of the danger James Roszko posed that night, have been sentenced to jail terms that are totally out of proportion to the extent of their connection with this tragedy.

Is the system fair when vast resources of an organization (the RCMP) can be marshalled against individuals? Is entrapment, and the convoluted web of deceit and lies it employs, a proven method of establishing the true facts of ANY event?

It breaks my heart to hear Shawn Hennessey say that he wishes he had killed James Roszko that night. He would have been tried and convicted of murder. It was lose-lose for Mr. Hennessey and Mr. Cheeseman that night - they are indeed collateral damage.

Thanks to the CBC and Linden McIntyre for keeping this story in the forefront of the Canadian conscience. Someone has to ask questions - but what else can be done? Please keep us posted.

For the past two hours I have read all the previous comments with great interest.
The one thing that I would like to mention is that not everyone in Alberta qualifies for Legal Aid, and in Shawn's case he did not qualify. It is my understanding that Shawn and his family put out somewhere in the amount of $80,000.00 towards legal bills, after mortgaging their homes and properties, and when there was no more money, and the lawyers were told as much, then the plea of Guilty of Manslaughter appeared.
I believe it cost Shawn $8,000.00/day everytime his lawyers went to Court and how much would a 10 week trial have cost? When the money runs out it runs out - and you can't get blood from a stone.
For the rest of their lives both Shawn and Dennis will regret not making those phone calls, and therefore felt the only choice they had was to plead guilty.
We Canadians believe that Justice will prevail in our Court System, but the truth is that far too many innocent people have given up simply because they have run out of money and no where else to turn.
My heart goes out to all the innocent victims, the Hennesseys, the Cheesmans, and the families of the fallen four.
But as the daughter of a former RCMP constable I know that my Dad would be turning over in his grave at the travesty of justice in this case.

This is the most one sided Fith Estate I have ever seen.
Boo hoo he pleaded guilty and he is going to go to prison.
He can join all the other thousands and thousands of people in prison who say they were wrongfully convicted.
Plead guilty----- serve the time.
Justice Eric Macklin did a great job.

I wonder if the judge in sentencing these two men for actually not hurting anyone but trying to remove a very dangerous person away from their families, who was armed and unpredictable, ever considered the injustice that he has caused to this family and their relatives by executing such a harsh sentence to them. If the RCMP had applied their craft in selecting experienced and well armed officers in guarding this unoccupied building in the diligent manner that they used to loop these men into confessions under great duress the outcome should and likely would have been different for the 4 RCMP members and their families.
We feel sympathy for ALL of the families who have suffered because of the poor judgement exercised by those involved in this situation.

I have been thinking about this Man and his family since last night. I only heard about these charges a few weeks ago and was surprised that charges were being laid against anyone other then the crazy man that killed those 4 police officers.

I am to be honest in shock, we have 2 men now in jail that will no doubly be eaten alive by. Why did crown office press charges, it makes no sense.

We have 6 families here that have been completely destroyed. Should the men have driven Mr. Crazy to his farm, I have to say I would have. I would do anything to protect my children.

I would like to thank CBC for bringing this to my attention, I am honestly disgusted with the crown, RCMP, the judge and the justice system.

God rest those 4 officers and God help these two young men through prison and give their families the strength to hold on.

very sad.

We, as Canadians, need to come to the aid of these victims. I am appalled and angered by the injustice of this case. I add my voice to all of those who have already stated so emphatically and succintly the travesty of justice represented by the sentences handed down to these two men. I pray someone with power and connection will have the energy and the will to start a country-wide movement of support to overturn this wrongful sentence.

I was outraged as I watched this young man and his wife share their story days before walking into jail. We cried with mister Hennessey and his wife Christine. The RCMP should be held responsible for what happened to those four officers, not Shawn or Dennis! I could not help but wonder if they had the fincial means to hire a good lawyer that they would be at home with their families.This is an outrage! I have no faith in our justice system or the RCMP. Judge Eric Macklin you should be ashamed of yourself. One would think common sense would prevail in this country. These men should be released as soon as possible! Hopefully we can come together and pressure our government to get these men to thier families.

Ok so I watched this program and am left with a few thoughts. Firstly at the start Shawn describes Rosco as a quiet loner whom he never saw anything to be concerned about. When pressed in the interview that citizens in Mayerthorpe describe him differently he states he saw none of that. However at the end of the interview he was threatened and so scared he could not call police for fear that he would be released from jail and hurt them and that he had been in jail before and released. Also, who gave Rosco the sheet. The media reported that Shawn provided him a sheet to help him conceal himself? Why was that not mentioned in this interview? Why drop him off such a long way from his property? Too many unanswered questions here. I am so sick of one sided reporting.

I have read through most of the comments regarding the very ONE-SIDED reporting by the CBC of this terrible tragedy. All you bleeding hearts, please read the comments made by Brad Lisson & A police officer. These are the facts and as AGREED by both Hennessy & Cheesman that they were not 'unwitting' accomplices and poor unsuspecting victims. Both men were involved in illegal activity with Roszko, so to state that you 'barely knew him' is a total lie. One of many? I personally believe that both men were concerned that their illegal activities would be exposed if Roszko got caught by the RCMP. That was the main motive for their actions. Everyone is crying the blues about how the men were trapped by a Mr. Big sting operation. PLEASE!! Shawn admitted that Dennis had been taken in by a gang of some sort and that he was involved in doing illegal activities for them. But he made up the story of his involvement with Roszko & the ambush because he was afraid? Give me a break.
Some of the comments vilify the RCMP because of their lack of understanding of what Roszko was cabable of. Did none of these accusers give thought to the fact that the farm was very isolated and Roszko had been reported as having fled. This is a cold snowy winter night out in the middle of the nowhere. No vehicles were seen to approach the area. Would you have thought the man would trek through the snow over 1 KM for the ambush?
Also, everyone wants to blame the police because there are so many criminals who get the slap on the wrist sentence. You need to blame the justice system and the every so sympathetic judges who give the revolving door to repeat offenders.
Finally, sentences are tougher for persons who are involved in harming people in law enforcement and rightly so. These people put their lives on the line every minute they are on duty and they deserve some modicum of protection.
CBC - if you want to be really objective, how about a documentary stating ALL the facts in the case.
Dennis & Shawn, I hope your convictions will have some good and perhaps give a lesson to the younger generation. You hang with criminals and partake in criminal activities, you may end up paying a price you did not expect.

Guilt was confessed by Hennessey, but only for buying and selling dope. Obviously not the reason for a sting operation by the RCMP upon he and Cheeseman. Linden's interview surely reveals the injustices committed by the RCMP investigation and the shameful luring of innocent lives in this tradegy. I put myself in Hennessey's shoes and could not have acted otherwise given the perceived threats hanging over his head and his family. Our criminal institutions are full enough without locking away innocent lives who simply could not afford to defend themselves any longer. Murder or manslaughter convictions - what choice did they have? This is indeed another case for James Lockyer!

As I watched the Fifth Estate last evening, I, like many of you, was very disturbed by what appears to be a total injustice for these two men and their families. I found it hard to fathom, however, why they would still plead guilty if they were truly innocent and how this total injustice could take place.I was totally prepared to "jump on the bandwagon" and write a comment to throw my full support behind Hennessey and Cheeseman but then I decided to educate myself more on the case before jumping to conclusions. After all, the interview was totally one-sided, wasn't it? So I googled the case and, after having read several newspaper articles and listening to a video, I can now understand how this guilty verdict came about and feel that it is, in fact, just. Just watch the video of Cheeseman's confession, you might change your mind, too. In the interview on The Fifth Estate, I felt that Cheeseman was portrayed as somewhat of a simpleton but it is clear from the video that he is a smart guy and that both he and Hennessey knew there was a strong probability that Roszko was going to be involved in a bloody altercation with the Mounties that night. The two men wiped their fingerprints off grand-dad's rifle before putting it in a pillowcase and giving it to Roszko. Why would they do that if they just thought he was going to use it to shoot a gas tank? Instead they drove 50 miles to the aunties house and back. 100 miles of sitting in a car, talking with Roszko about what? The weather??? (The three men chose to drive Roszko back to the farm when they could've drove off after dropping him off at the aunties' and called the police.) Apparently, they made little conversation with Roszko but the angry cop-hater 'ranted and raved' the entire trip. When they dropped him off, they saw the lights from a car as well as the lights inside the building and even if they didn't know it was a police car (which is doubtful) they knew that someone on his property was in grave danger. And Hennessey failed to mention in the interview that Roszko put socks over his shoes before getting out of the car. Why? Later, he agreed with the undercover police that he probably did this because he has intentions to 'whack' them (the Mounties). So why didn't they call the police? Hennessey was a drug dealer and apparently had a big stash of money. If he called the police, they would find out about his involvement with Roszko and he would risk being caught having done something illegal - after all, he had a wife and two small children to think about ( but he obviously wasn't thinking too much about his beloved family when he made the decision to become involved in selling marijuana for Roszko). In truth, he just wanted everything 'to go away' and thought that Roszko would do this for him. And furthermore, he was afraid that if Roszko found out that he had called the police and he managed to evade them, he might come back to harm him and his family. (Now that would be terribly frightful and I'm not sure what I would've done in that situation, either.) However, in the end he knew Roszko was an armed and dangerous man and therefore it WAS his responsibility as a citizen to warn the police of the impending danger. After the crime, he continued to lie about his involvement and convinced his brother-in-law to do so as well...no longer out of fear of Roszko but for wanting it "all just go away". So, after having learned more of the facts of the case, I see these men in a different light and changed my opinion. It saddens me that their paths crossed with this evil man and that they chose to become involved in what started out as "just selling a a little marijuana" to the death of four innocent young men. As it turns out, apparently they be doing about 7 and 10 years (not 12 and 15) for the early guilty plea. My hope is that when they get out of prison, they will spend the rest of their days speaking to young people about the devasting lesson they have learned and perhaps save some innocent lives in the process.

If you just read Canada's Criminal Code it is clear.
I'll Post it....

(c) where a person, for an unlawful object, does anything that he knows or ought to know is likely to cause death, and thereby causes death to a human being, notwithstanding that he desires to effect his object without causing death or bodily harm to any human being.

If you know someone that is threatening to commit murder... You Need to Do Something... Anything... But to do Nothing is not okay. It is wrong to let someone be murdered... Whomever it is. If you know someone is at the farm when you see the head lights and then drive away safe with your life but do nothing for the lives of others you are considered as the murder is.

To allow grey area in our own expectations on others because it happened to two people who have families doesn't matter. We all have families and we should all expect the best from each other.

This has to be one of the most unfortunate events to happen in Canada. This man James Rozco was pure poison. Ahything he touched left a trail of destruction. Look at the mess he left and the people that were affected even after his rampage/suicide.

RCMP Constable Anthony Gordon

RCMP Constable Lionide Johnston

RCMP Constable Brock Myrol

RCMP Constable Peter Schiemann

In spite of the sensationalist agenda epitomized by the most recent CBC documentary, the overwhelming majority of Canadians have formed the opinion that the accused in this matter acted in supreme cowardice and were party to the offence of four counts of first degree murder.

Regretfully, the accused were presented with an opportunity to agree to a plea bargain that, in hindsight, will never be comparable to the loss of four courageous individuals who lived and breathed Honesty, Integrity, Professionalism, Compassion, Accountability, and Respect.

Lyndon MacIntyre is a disgrace to the CBC, and to the Canadian media in general. What a pile of hogwash he put together once again.

At least it's refreshing to see the many good people who wrote in expressing their disgust with his story.

Our judicial system and RCMP remind me alot of how things are run in Mexico. CORRUPT. I am totally disqusted. Maybe we should get together and offer them a few pesos so justice can be served! This has been on my mind all day and agree something needs to be done. You people that put those boys away will receive your fate someday. What goes around comes around.

Lately, seems like the RCMP like boasting their authority to innocent people. Makes sense, its much easier! Four armed RCMP killing and unarmed, frightened tourist in and airport. Where is the justice in this case. Now they are putting two innocent boys away to try to cover up their own mistakes. Its time they start serving the innocent instead of pretending they are living in Miami and their name is Horatio Caine.

I don't think I have been so moved, so disturbed, so upset by watching Fifth Estate. I cannot help but think that these two young men have been used as "scapegoats" and how the justice system has failed them. To watch this young couple explain how their lives have been destroyed and to realize that he has been sentenced to 15 years for naievity . . . and yes in retrospect possibly stupidity . . .is definitely a miscarriage of justice. Who were the lawyers for this young man? Where was the judge in being unbiased. We all wept for the RCMP officers and their families, but surely this result is NO answer! Is there any hope of help for Shawn, Christine, their children and Dennis?

I watched your interview with Sean Hennessey. If he and Dennis Cheeseman had admitted to driving James Roszko after the four Mounties were killed, they would have probably escaped with much less serious charges and a much lighter sentence. They could have phoned the RCMP right away. Instead, they didn't say anything and lied later. Isn't that tantamount to guilt? Also, Hennessey admitted that he'd sold pot for Roszko, so he must have known something about the guy and his bad reputation. Considering what transpired, I think the prison sentences were justified. Having said all that though, I did end up with a certain sympathy for Hennessey after watching The Fifth Estate. He struck me as basically a good person who was now telling the truth, but he was probably looking for sympathy. I don't think one can fault the RCMP for what they did - after all, four Mounties were murdered. The thing I don't understand is that the RCMP didn't seem to think Roszko dangerous, despite his history, and sent only rookies to Roszko's farm. That, to me, was a major police blunder.

These young men are scapegoats for ineffective RCMP management. Someone had to take the blame and it sure as heck wasn't going to be the brass.
Sean H was trying to protect his loved ones and getting Roscko out of his face. I'd drive the creep away as well if need be.

This is a miscarriage of justice and they should be exonerated

James Roszko was well known to the community and the RCMP since he was in his teens. He was charged with a number of offenses over the years. Many of the charges were dropped before the respective trials. Why? Because of Mr Roszko's well known talent of intimidation methods. To my knowledge he was jailed only once. His sexual preferences were also well known. He craved young boys, and caused unlimited grief to many boys is the area over the years. He received a life time ban for owning weapons, and kept his weapons will hidden on his property.

All this information is contained in RCMP records. Bailif's have testified over the years regarding the ordeal and fear of reposessing from Mr Roszo. The police were well aware - they advised the bailif's to await RCMP presence before proceeding with their duties.

Former RCMP have testified to their experiences with Mr. Roszko.

Who made the first mistake? Is it the system that didn't protect witnesses over the years allowing Roszko to get away with all his many crimes? Is it individual members who choose to walk away rather than facing a man everyone was terrified of?

Who made the first mistake on March 2nd that ultimatly cost 4 dedicated and courageous officers their lives? Was it the Watch Commander who did not review police records related to Roszko? Was it the individual who chose to send members out without first doing a threat assessment. Was it the individual who decided a well trained, well armed and well protected tactical team was not required? One wonders if it was one of these same individuals that called the army out AFTER the murders had taken place. Regardless of who or how many are to blame - Four Men lost there lives that day at the hand of a known cop hater and known Monster!!

The results of those decisions are 4 sets of parents who lost their sons, and will grieve for the rest of their lives. Was it the officers wives? Even though one's widow has moved on and is currently planning her second marriage, she suffered tremendously as a result of the mistakes made. What about the siblings of the dead? What about the identical twin who suffered every pain his deceased twin suffered. What about the friends of the dead, not to mention their co-workers, both RCMP and civilian.

Someone has to be at fault - right? Lets persecute a couple of unsofisticated young men, to shift the light of failure to protect our own. Hennessey was making decisions while his wife and children were in the same house as an armed maniac. Giving him what he wanted and getting him out of there may not have been the ideal option, but letting your wife,children and family suffer the revenge of a mad man isn't a great option either.

Giving Roszko a ride to his mothers was clearly a mistake - after the murders took place. Driving away after leaving an armed man on the side of the road could very well have resulted in
injury or death to Hennessay and Cheeseman - but they are both imprisoned for their actions. Hennessy deserves to be charged with trafficking and knew that was a possibility when he sold his first baggie.

As to the decision to plead out to manslaughter - the alternative was 4 consequetive life sentences, not to mention the financial circumstances they faced as a result of the charges. It's interesting to note the Crown offered the plea. Would that be because they knew that their case wasn't strong enough to stand the test of a fair trial? They had to know that the men and their families were experiencing devastating financial conditions.

There are many many more points that can be made but at the end of the day.....for lack of a threat assessment and informed decision making 4 young RCMP members are dead, their families will continue to suffer until their own lives expire, 2 men who were not a party to the murder are now in jail, a young mom is now raising her family with no money and possibly no home, and for all of them, their lives will never be the same.

As always, thank you to the Fifth Estate for the excellent story. After seeing this story, I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how one can't feel compassion for Shawn and Dennis. Shawn has admitted to driving Rosko to the crime scene and why he did it. Until you have walked in another mans shoes you just don't know what you would do in this sort of sitiaution. It appears that everyone except for the justice system knew how dangerous Rosko was. Yet after the fact Shawn becomes the scapegoat for driving a would be murderer to the crime scene. This would never have happened if the justice system was doing their job in the first place.

After watching the story "collateral damage" I was amazed by the sadness that this man James Roszko created..not just to the families of the 4 fallen officers, but to the Hennesy and Cheeseman families as well! I do not understand how this can be called justice that a young man afraid for his life and that of his families, should do any time at all! Remember, James Roszko was known to be a villain to the community of Mayerthorpe for years...he was a bully and apparently even his family were afraid of him? The true failure that led to the deaths of those 4 officers and the "collateral damage" of the Hennesy and Cheeseman families...was the justice system! Why was this man Roszko even allowed to be out in society? I have lots of questions...The RCMP...in conducting the search of the quonset of Roszkos property...why were guards not put around the perimeter knowing the dangerous nature of the man who owned that property? They had NO idea where he was,...so why not stand watch for him? Why send in young officers....one without a firearm? The sad fact is, the RCMP made a big mistake in how they handled that situation and a terrible lesson was learned at a great loss? But don't blame others for their mistake? The fact the RCMP never "got their man" without his killing himself AFTER killing 4 of theirs was reason enough for them to go after looking for someone else to blame for their mistakes...and thats the only reason they and this "justice" system went after Mr Hennesy and Mr Cheeseman, Yes, Mr Hennesy admits to selling "weed" for this maniac... but he should be commended for that honesty...not condemned? Maybe he sold it for him cause of fear of Roszko? That was never mentioned? Nonetheless, driving a maniac back to within a few yards of his property should not be considered a criminal act...especially when a revolver is being pointed at you! For those who have made comments as to what Mr Hennesy should have done..and not done..remember this? NOT everyone is a hero! NOT everyone is Chuck Norris or Jean Claude Van Damme...this was a young man who was faced with a roughian, a maniac with a gun and apparently one tough individual with a long history of violence? I think I would have thought twice too before "tackling him and attempting to take away his gun!" All in all this show was well done, and these 2 young men have been made scapegoats by a justice system that failed everyone, including those 4 young officers! Roszko should have been put away years ago when he first started his reign of terror over that community! The justice system failed everyone! Fifth estate...job well done on this story!

I watched Collateral Damage last night and have mixed feelings and still so many questions that I suppose will never be answered as the person who knows the entire truth was a coward and a bully and took his own life. The actual journalism that occurred had no impact on my thoughts as there are always two sides to every story. My thoughts are to what could and should have been done differently to avoid this tragedy for all parties involved.
These are my comments in regards to the video as well statement made by Shawn and his wife Christine last night. As well reading the information on the Agreed statment of facts.
I too would be concerned for my wife and children's well being if confronted by a person with James Roszkos history in regards to violence and whether he was bandishing the 9mm handgun or had it tucked in his pants it is apples and oranges to me. He still had a weapon on him. How many times do we hear from the police to not try to be a hero and let the police deal with it. However in this situation the police have dealt with Mr. Roszco several times and he has been released or not dealt with effectively by a judge or the justice system.
Should Shawn have given James Roszko a 300 magnun rifle and ammunition? Defintiely not under normal circumstances but these weren't normal circumstances. Why he wiped the rifle down I don't know other to assume that he had some concerns in his mind that James Roszko was up to no good. Should Shawn have contacted the police immediately after dropping Roszko off? Yes definitely! However it has been proven in the past that James Roszko is above the law. Would it have saved these 4 fallen police officers lives? Possibly. However why would the senior officer make such a poor judgement and send 4 very unexperienced police officers who were minimally armed to go after Roszko who is well known in the community to be a bully and violent person. As well had already sped away from the situation when they confronted him in their attempt to retrieve the truck on his property. How did Roszco sneak back into the quonset anyways as it was my understanding that it was under survellance by two officers? Why did they not find the weapon that killed the fallen officers when they did the search in the first place? When they found the marihjauna plants and grow operation and the weapons as well as stolen vehicles and parts. Why did they not decide to bring in more man power knowing the profile of James Rozsco? It doesn't make any sense to me that they would place 4 inexperienced police officers to maintain survellance on the quonset, knowing Roszko's violent history and weapons found in the quonset and use a dozen or so police officers with high powered weapons to take down Shawn who had no criminal record history as well take down his wife Christine who also had not criminal history.
I still have so many questions unanswered about this tragedy and it does sadden me that a violent person such as James Roszko who took the lives of 4 police officers as well took Shawn and Dennis with him and has destroyed their lives and then cowardly took his own life and had control of the town of Mayerthorpe and the justice system when he was alive and still has control of the lives of Mayerthorpe and the justice system.
I believe some justice was served in that Shawn and Dennis should be held accountable for their actions and serve some prison time. However to me justice would have been served for a sentence of 2-3 years as they didn't pull the trigger of the gun that murdered these fine officers and they weren't in the quonset where James Roszko coardly took these officers lives.
I also beleive the senior officers who made the decisions to have 4 inexperienced officers placed in the potenially volatile sitaution should be held accountable as well. This also includes the judges that allowed James Roszko to be a free man after his other violent crimes.
The only person that won in this horrific tragedy was the low life scum bag James Roszko.

My prayers and thoughts are for all the families that have suffered for this horrific tragedy.

Just a quick comment on the fellows statement.
He states he just wants to move on with his life and get home with his family. Well does he think that aiding in these murders helped the victims get on with their lives or the families. They never will.
Also, I don't understand why you are giving all this press time to people that have aided in murders, charges they pled guilty to. I'm sure you could air some stories that will assist or inform the people watching more beneficially.

So my question is where does the buck stop? Is it not the Judge's responsibility to ensure justice is served? Is he really that out of touch with what reasonable Canadians expect of their justice system? Over 250 comments and the overwhelming majority are disgusted with the outcome. We, the jury, find you in contempt of Canada.

The murder charges against Cheeseman and Hennessey have very little substance, and this sentiment is continually expressed by the two men’s supporters. Family and friends profess the accused men’s good community standing and strong work ethic; Hennessey, in particular, has been touted as a dedicated husband and father of two young girls. A friend and colleague of Hennessey told the Globe and Mail it was impossible for the accused to aid Roszko because he was at a meeting with 20 other people in Edmonton at the time of the shootings.

Even a couple of retired RCMP officers are defending Cheeseman and Hennessey. Former constable Steve May told the Edmonton Journal “our community is in shock because (the accused) don’t really fit the role of murderer,” while RCMP veteran Dirk DeJong said Hennessey “was not an instigator. He was not in town causing a ruckus or getting involved with any other crimes.”

Supporters of the two men have repeatedly told the media there is no merit to the murder charges, that Cheeseman and Hennessey are victims of a witch hunt, a coverup of the RCMP’s own shortcomings.

After researching press clippings on the Mayerthorpe case, I believe there is a hidden agenda to these charges. The RCMP is overcompensating for its crippled image due to recent controversy—not just the handling of the Mayerthorpe case, but, for example, the pension fund and sponsorship scandals, Maher Arar, and inquiries into the Air India bombing and the death of Ian Bush. These murder charges are a boost the RCMP is giving itself so it can reach the top of the slippery slope upon which the force has spent quite some time.

Soon after the four Mounties’ deaths, the RCMP was publicly criticized for sending rookie officers to the property of a man known for his fondness of guns and hatred of police. The force was also taken to task for seemingly letting a dangerous man like Roszko free to roam the streets of Mayerthorpe. In the 28 months leading up to these charges, it had been repeatedly reported the RCMP was looking into the possibility that Roszko had accomplices in the constables’ murders. But on the second anniversary of the slayings, the Globe and Mail reported the RCMP “has yet to complete its internal criminal investigation, which has in turn delayed the launch of any public inquiries into the tragedy. But a spokesman suggested…the force may comment Monday (March 5) on a pair of reports - one by Human Resources and Social Development Canada, the other by the RCMP's hazardous-occurrence investigation team - that point the finger solely at the gunman, James Roszko.”

Not surprisingly, the force never made such a comment to the press on March 5, and now, four months later, two young men have been charged with first-degree murder in the Mounties’ deaths.

This points to an overwhelming “culture of secrecy” deep within the RCMP, a culture the Globe reported on following the deaths of another two Mounties last summer—constables Robin Cameron and Marc Bourdages. The article discussed how the force distrusts the media and often refuses requests for interviews and documents, or takes its sweet time in providing answers to families of victims in high-profile cases, like that of 22-year-old Ian Bush, who in October 2005 died in RCMP custody from a gunshot wound to the back of his head.

One of the most shocking statements I’ve ever read appeared in an article by Globe columnist Gary Mason, who has written extensively on the Bush case. When Mason asked an RCMP media liason officer about procedures regarding handling a prisoner, and said the public had the right to know about such information, the media liason officer responded: “The public doesn't have a right to know anything."

Did RCMP ever get the truck?
Innocent men pleading guilty!

I am completely disgusted with the way the RCMP operates. I have absolutely no respect for this organization. What is this--a communist state. These clowns should be wearing Nazi uniforms, complete with jack boots. The Mr. Big sting that the RCMP uses is illegal in just about every country in the world except Canada. It seems as though many RCMP officers get their kicks out of tasering, shooting, and bashing in the heads of people. I would never call these jerks for any assistance nr would I ever cooperate in any way with them. Ian

I cann't believe the sentence that these two lads received, when Shawn said he was pleading guilty I thought he may get 1 or 2 years MAX, when he got 15 years and the brother in-law got 12 I fell off the chair. Where is the justice. The RCMP where really trying pass blame to someone, with the undercover police, well I hope they're happy........they got there man....only they DID NOT pull the trigger-they were NOT there and it was 15 hours later that the crime occurred.
I feel for all the people affected .....and mostly for Shawns wife and children

After watching the Hennessey interview last night, I can't help but feel for him, and his family, and especially his brother-in-law.

How pathetic is out justice system, when they have go to the extreme of coming up with an elaborate lie, like that of the "Mr. Big" sting. It's good to know where our tax dollars are going.

Another thing that bothers me, is the fact that Hennessey and Cheeseman get 15 and 12 years for a crime they did not commit and had no idea was going to happen, yet a man in Edmonton kills 3 people at the Red Light Lounge and get 15 years. Some things are not adding up.

I would just like to thank fifth estate for having the courage for digging for the truth in the shows they do (not just this one).I am Shawn,s uncle and i,v known the truth all along. The family was threatened since the charges were laid that if we went to the press our lawyer would quit. We thought we had a good lawyer with the money he was charging and we were getting good advice,if we had it to do over we would have done things differently but we did not know what we do now. We as a family would have spoken out . There is still a lot to be told about the advice we were given and i for 1 pray that someone investigates that aspect of this case. I am by no means a Lawyer, but i do not feel some of the things we were told that could and could not be done were right by any means. We were aloud a meeting with Shawn,s lawyers 5 days before the plea to find out why they were doing this and i myself was appalled at the answers we were given. I was disgusted at what was about to happen but it was Shawn,s life and his decision.I know he was devastated when Friday came and he seen what was done to him but it was too late. So all i can really hope for is that someone who knows what is ethical as a lawyer comes forward and investigates this aspect of the case also and if as i think that it was unethical then someone with some authority steps up to the plate and demands some answers. Thank You again Mr.MacIntyre and Fifth Estate for wanting the TRUTH.

Watching Shawn & his wife drying their eyes during this documentary made me really feel sorry for them. Sorry that Shawn did not have the sense to realize that selling drugs for a grow-op is dangerous - Shawn said he did what he did that night was for his family's safety. Was his family's safety not always being jeopardized while he was selling drugs and hanging out with a known maniac? I truly believe Shawn was only sorry that he got caught. I can understand how Shawn made the decisions that he did that night keeping in mind, his family, his drug dealings, and Roszko's reputation but I can not understand why he continually lied to police until he couldn't lie anymore. Shawn, like so many other people in our society do not want to take any responsiblity for their actions - I believe this is one time the justice system has let the people know we do have to account for our actions. If Shawn had never started socializing with this fool none of this would have happened to him and he wouldn't have to look at someone or something to blams.

There is more than enough blame to go around. Roszko,Hennessey,Cheeseman, the RCMP, the media, the justice system. Pick the two weakest, the ones with the least resources and the least ability to defend themselves and sentence them severely. Can you say "scapegoats"? The families of Hennessey and Cheeseman are now added to the list of victims. I feel for all the victims but I can't help wondering what I would do in a similar situation. And I don't have enough faith in our justice system to think it would protect me if I were in their shoes.
I'm no CBC lover, but thanks for showing another side of this story.

I have never been to Barrhead or Mayerthorpe. I have never met either of the accused or friends and family thereof. I am simply a random Canadian living in Edmonton AB who got caught up in following this story in the media. Last night, for the first time, I heard the 'other side' of the story on the Fifth Estate.

There is no doubt that Shawn Hennessey used poor judgement more than once in that he participated in the illegal trade of banned substances and then lied to authorities to hide any involvement he had with James Roszko on that fateful night. These actions deserve punishment. However, I am outraged that a fellow Canadian can be punsihed for murder/manslaughter charges although not present for the crime nor knowledgable of the pending crime, in a case in which premeditation cannot be definitely ascertained at all.

My condolences to the families of the fallen RCMP officers who lost their lives in this tragic and horrible incident.

My condolences to the Hennessey's in becoming the latest victims of James Roszkos crime.

As an outraged individual Canadian, is there anything I can do to help the Hennessey's? As bystanders, what can we do to combat injustice when it occurs?

What an excellent show last night. However i am appalled at some of the negative and judgemental comments that i read on here. Its really easy for people to say what they would of done if this would have happened to them but obviously everyone makes different choices and sometimes even mistakes. after all we all are only human. and if hennessey was such a criminal surely he would have known not to make mistakes. the fact that he did just proves he was just a small town kid who really didnt know any better. it is no big deal for a small town folk from barrhead to have a gun or 10 of them...we are hunters. It really isnt a big deal in this town to sell some weed to your close aquantincaces. i challenge the members of this community to tell if theyve ever smoked pot,sold pot,or had an unregistered firearm. youd all be surprised. As for shawn and dennis (as someone from barrhead whose known them most of my life and who has honestly weighed both sides)...my full support to them and their families. i can not understand how anyone could think they are bad people, maybe did some shady things...obviously...but not murderes or anything even close to that. i dont get how people across the country can make up their minds when they know nothing. i wouldnt even have an opinion on a case in another city because i couldnt possibly know all the facts. i have lost complete faith in the justice system and their use of scapegoating these boys to make it look like they havent failed when they clearly have...many times with roscko. i have decided that if im ever in trouble the last people ill phone are the police cause they are about as prepared and educated as my 83 year old grandmother. i am disgusted that this can happen..and we will not stop till justice is truthfully served and this story aint over yet. this has been the story of the mounties and the legal system and their attempt to cover up their mistakes. where is their accountability??? How can this mr.big sting even be admicable in court when a lie detector test is not.?? Why are my taxpaying dollars being spent on this type of corruption?? But finally at last we will hear the boys story. I can only hope and pray that these boys will somehow soon get out and be paid millions for their wrongful accusals. it will happen. They will be on top of this story one day...but im afraid that the other people involved..mainly the mounties commander and the legal system will never pay for their mistakes. my heart goes out to the hennessey and cheesman families as well as the fallen four families. no body deserved to die or was guilty..except jimmy.

I would like to see the CBC do a follow-up to this story and pose some of the more difficult questions that have arisen to the RCMP. I am sure the RCMP wouldn't appreciate that because they are under some myth that they can do no wrong because they are the "law".

Time for the RCMP to grow up, face some criticism over their tactics and handling of this case.....that should uncover some wide-spread corruption.

This is such a cover-up, witch-hunt, revenge ploy its not even funny. Time for the RCMP to face what Cheeseman and Hennessey had to face - that is, if they have the guts too.

Outrageous. How was Shawn Hennessy supposed to know what this man, Roszko, would do the next day or any day, especially if Rozsko had not been violet towards Mr. Hennessy and his family.

My empathy is for the Hennessys and the brother. They were not and are not psychics.

All of this happened because on a cold winter day, someone made the decision to raid a marijuana farm of a known criminal, and because four Mounties were murdered, which is, of course, sad, it is wrong, wrong, wrong to blame Shawn and his wife for Not Knowing What Rozako Was Going To Do.

The show and many of the comments I have read sicken me. let's remember it's the 4 mounties that are dead and their families, not 2 criminals who had a hand in their murder. As far as i'm concerned the sentences weren't harsh enough. What will the story be after the Daigenais trail, that the police were too hard on him and he shouldn't go to jail. He is the perfect example why we need to bring back the death penalty.

Let me preface my comments by stating that I have a brother who has been a Mountie for just over a month. I attended the ceremonies at Depot and let me tell you I have NEVER been so proud to be a Canadian citizen. It was truly a moment of showing me all that is good about Canada. Now I know the RCMP are not perfect, but the training they undergo and they sacrifices they make not only to be a member, but once they become one are tremendous and difficult to comprehend. I have tried to keep an open mind about this. I don't disagree with the way the information was uncovered. A terrible crime was committed and based on what they knew Roszko wasn't alone. The interview last night really surprised me. Hennessey's language and tone were obviously lawyer coached as was his spouse. To me he came across as not very genuine. He admitted he lied once before, why should believe him now? I think the interviewer was very one- sided and maybe we didn't see all the footage, but he sure took the answers at face value. Hennessey was already involved in an illegal activity and tried to hide his involvement. They got caught and now will pay for it. I do feel for his young children who will be robbed of their father growing up and above all the families of the four, who continue to conduct their daily lives with the utmost grace and courage.

Has a week passed since "Somebody Got Away with Murder?" was aired.The RCMP are not a sense of pride for me but a disgraceful and outdated police system that spends far more time and resources covering up for their own stupidity and incompetence. The man shooting the gun may be responsible but the real responsibility lies with the superiors who not only did not secure the quonset but sent some 'baby officers' out to sit and be shot. Every single officer on duty and present at the quonset that night is far more responsible for the deaths of these 'heroes'than Hennessy or Cheeseman. Heroes, that talk is to appease family and deflect any inquiries. How many officers helped to empty the quonset of the drugs? Not one of them found the assault rifle? If Roscoe sat in the field all night, even if he had been refused a ride he would have had plenty of time to walk there and carry out anything he wished on incompetent and completely unaware RCMP officers. Roscoe getting a ride was not crucial to him carrying out these murders but perhaps the assault rifle was. No SWAT team to secure the quonset but SWAT was necessary to pin Hennessy and his wife to the ground and arrest them. They didn't see Roscoe as a threat but this tiny woman must have had them quaking in their combat boots. These murders have always been about police incompetence. When do the trials of the RCMP involved begin? After sentencing, the RCMP officer was asked in front of the court house if Hennessy and Cheeseman were scapegoats. He stated that they weren't and that they had come forward and confessed. Standing there blatantly lying on the steps of the courthouse. God help us all and protect us and our families from the RCMP. They are far scarier than James Roscoe ever dreamt of being. I sincerely hope somebody helps Hennessy and Cheeseman. Their lawyer and the judge should be burned at the stake.

I think the fifth estate did a good job in showing both sides of the story. The first when the incedent first took place and now that people are being convicted. It is sad to see two people go to jail for something Rosko did. Rosko was fully capable of doing what he did alone. Growing up you are told that if you ever see Rosko you run,scream, kick, or do what ever you can to get away. That is what you are told as a child growing up in Mayerthorpe. Now that he is gone there is some sense of releif. But unfortantley that releif came with tragedy that will stay will us forever.
After watching the show I wanted to cry. Cause I could think of putting myself or any of the people around me in the position of Hennessy and Cheesman and can't say that I might not have changed anything. Defenatley calling the police would have been a good idea. But they are not the ones that pulled the trigger, Jimmy was, and then he took justice into his own hands.
My love goes out to the fallen four and their families not doubt about that. It was a sad day for Mayerthorpe. But we know how Jimmy was and happy to see him go. Why is it now two men have to spend 15 years in jail for some crazy man that was not unknown in the community. Jimmy did bad things to good people. Did these boys rap and kill people, NO. They sold some pot from a local grower. I would have been terrified to have any run ins with Jimmy. Wouldn't you. We can sit here and say shoulda, woulda, coulda, but why can't we let the mounties rest now and move on. Those two boys are going to have to wait 15 years to move on.

THANK-YOU to the fifth estate for finally showing a second side to this story.for all of you who commented on how one sided the interview with Shawn was i gotta ask what you thought all the stories on the news have been for the last 4 years? seems like it was well thought out as to what the RCMP and the crown wanted us all to see to pursuade the public opinion,which apparently does work for those of you that put your complete faith in "justice system". personally what the system has showed me is that known criminals such as that waste of skin roskoe can get away with hurting young boys,possibly murder,and terroizing communties. and still get out of jail to do it to more people. and now even burning in hell (hopefully) he continues to torture more families and make headlines for years to come. i can not beleive that instead of honouring the fallen four and thanking god that, that loser is dead, that the RCMP is trying to hang these INNOCENT men for trying to protect their family from this lunatic. yes Shawn sold pot for this guy but that is a FAR cry from plotting to kill people(officers or not)
I have learned through all of this that if some sick SOB ever harms my children in any way to go with my gut and kill em because they would just be able to go and hurt another child in a couple years, and clearly the RCMP, and the courts would do nothing about it. I find it pretty sad that the loss of adult lives (no disrespect to them at all) who chose to go into their profession, is more sad then the WORST CRIME in my mind EVER which is the fact that a REPEAT CHILD PREDITOR was allowed to continue to roam the streets.(what about those poor kids?) i hope that people open their eyes to "justice system" and realize what it is coming to because nothing can be changed if society continues to be sheep and turn a blind eye. hang in there boys the truth will come out FINALLY

I can't believe the comments being made by so many people here. I didn't know there was that many people that were so naive with permanent rose colored glasses. Hennessey was lying through this whole interview.

He started off saying that he only knew Roszko through the tire shop where he worked. Then it was he bought weed off him, then he sold weed for him. What else is he hiding here???

There is no way Roszko, or any criminal in this situation, would call up a guy who just sold a joint or two for him. Its more likely Roszko called Hennessey as Hennessey was a partner with him in the whole growing operation.

Plus there is no way they could spend the amount of time on Roszko's farm "planting trees" and not know about the weapons this guy has.

Think about it, an honest person would have came up the next day saying "holy crap, that guy was at my house last night, scared me and my wife with a weapon and made me drive him" not to make up a lie to cover it up. Roszko was dead at this point, no need to fear him then.

The only thing I got from Hennessey is he's sorry of what is happening to him, that he got caught and was found out for the piece of scum he is. Not once did indicate he was sorry for what had happened to the fallen mounties. Hennessey's wife who provided the typical crying wife said that she hopes that the mounties families will feel there grief, what a crock and an insult to them.

These guys got what they deserve, you hang around with criminals then you go down with them. Simple as that.

Wish the world was as rosy as most of those making the prior comments believe it is.

My husband and I watched the interview with Hennessey last night. We came to the conclusion that if it had been four civilians and not four mounties who had died then Mr.Hennessey and his brother in law would not be in prison. They are being made scapegoats. Mr. Hennessey knew there was a grow op and is guilty of that.Roszko shows up at the Hennessey home asking for a rifle.What if Mr. Hennessey tries to wrestle him for the gun,gets shot himself and then Roszko goes after his wife and kids? Or Hennessey phones the cops who arrest Roszko and after recieving a slap on the wrist he is let go, only to threaten the Hennessy family. The police knew that Roszko was dangerous and should of been better prepared. I can`t believe Mr. Hennessey got 15 years. A drunk driver, with eight previous drinking and driving charges against him kills an innocent person and gets less than two years!!! Hennessey`s lawyer should be ashamed and so should the judge. I feel for the Mounties families. But justice has NOT been served.

The only comment I have to add is that if Mr. MacIntyre really believes what he tried to convince the rest of Canada of, i.e. the innocence of Mr. Hennessey and Mr. Cheeseman, he might have had a little more creditability if he had at least taken the time to find out the proper pronounciation of Barrhead. But it doesn't appear that he wastes his time on research, just on sensationalism.

Unfortunately his biased, opinionated "report" has caused people who have not taken the time to read ALL available information about this crime to feel sympathy for Mr. Hennessey.

I am so upset after watching the 5th Estate last night. The justice system in this country is appalling. The RCMP always gets his Man is so ridiculous and should be changed to include this ending...even if your the wrong man! Just like in the Milgard case..the RCMP knew he didn't do it...but just couldn't find the guy that did so they locked him up instead to make themselves look good.
The judge in this case is just another bad judge in our ever growing bad judicial system.
The men need to find a better lawyer, since when is it against the law to give someone a ride,and under the circumstances, I would have done the same thing if a gun was pointed at my head, sure Shawn Hennessey knew Rosco, but that doesn't mean he pulled the trigger, he feared for his family. Dennis Cheeseman just showed up at the wrong time and had to go along. The whole sting operation was pathetic...since when is entrapment legal...he was afraid and set up and coerced into saying what he said.
The incident where the police submerged on Hennessey and in wife wearing camo paint and camo fatigues was totally ridiculous and unneccesary..Hennessey had already talked with the police 3 times..was it neccesary to step on his head and arms and legs!!!
These men do not deserve the sentence they got...I hope they appeal.
We need to take a long hard look at the RCMPs resposibility in why the whole thing happened the way it did and put the blame where it should be.

OK....after reading some of these comments and seeing that so many commenters feel these two did not commit any crime let me quote the following

Section 21 (2) Criminal Code of Canada (parties to offences)

"Where two or more persons form an intention in common to carry out an unlawful purpose and to assist each other therein and any one of them in carrying out the common purpose, commits an offence, each of them who knew or ought to have known that the commission of the offence would be a probable consequence of carrying out the common purpose is a party to that offence."

you can argue interpritations of this but if Hennessey and Cheeseman "ought" to have known that giving Roszko a gun, driving him to his farm where police persons or baliffs were searching it "probably" could have resulted in him killing some of them, then they are parties to the offence of Murder....hence they were allowed to plead to manslaughter which is an inclulded offence in murder.

The deaths of these RCMP Officers is the direct result of the illegal search of Roszko's property which led to the finding of the grow op.

After all, if they knew the property was abandoned what right did they have to enter it without a search warrant.

Of course all RCMP Officer's believe they are above the law, as is evident with the execution of Ian Bush in Houston and the murder of Robert Dziekanski in the Vancouver Airport.

I am somewhat surprised however with the Fifth Estate asking Hennessey why he did not tackle this armed man when 4 RCMP Officers were too afraid to tackle one unarmed individual.

What I can't understand is: if Roszko had stated to Hennessey and Cheesman that he intended to kill RCMP officers, why did he hid in the "weeds" all night? There were only two officers at the farm overnight. Why did he wait until morning when additional officers showed up? I can't help but wonder if perhaps he was waiting for those officers to leave.
Doesn't this cast reasonable doubt on the Crown's assertion that Hennessey and Cheesman were party to Roszko's actions? There's just too much here that doesn't make sense. The police don't consider Roszko a threat, but in the sentencing report the judge said that Hennessey and Cheesman "should have known". Based on what? Roszko's supposed claim that he was going to kill RCMP officers? Roszko had been making the same claim for years. Apparently the only one's that are exempt from taking such claims seriously are those in the RCMP.
If I could be made to believe - without reasonable doubt - that Hennessey and Cheesman were indeed party to the murder of four officers, I too would expect them to be punished for such. But doubt exists.

I guess the Dishonourable Judge Eric Macklin has now set a precedent in Canada that you can now be arrested and sentenced to prison not for what you did, but for what you dind't do.

If thats the case judge, time to step down. What a weak and pathetic justice system.

It's so obvious that the RCMP were out on a witch-hunt and desperately looking for a scape-goat to make up for the massive tactical short-comings that resulted in the lives of the 4 mounties being taken.

It's a sad state of affairs in this country with our so-called justice system when 2 men can get charged with man-slaughter when they were't even present at the incident, nor had any knowledge of what was about to go down.

As for the Mr. Big Tactics, they should be outlawed as they are in the US and UK. Mr. Can't Investigate Properly So I Have to Lie is more like it.

Excellent story and I hope the CBC continues to follow this, they obviously have a lot more in the way of integrity and professionalism than the RCMP

Here's my dilemma . . if I believe Shawn Hennessey, and I do, then I can no longer have any trust or faith that our system of justice is based on logic and truth. The precedent established here seems to say, if I deliver an aquaintance to a location, and within 12 hours they commit a crime, I become culpable. Or is it that the "brotherhood in blue" needs to punish someone. I'm not sure which of those two options concerns me more.

I've never been so angry before,the more I watched the show the angrier I got.Firstly,the minister of justice should outlaw these sting operations that the RCMP are allowed to do.I thought this was a democratic society.The communist countries wouldn't do such a thing.Personally I think that the pride which the RCMP was founded upon is long gone.So as it stands right now we have four young police offers gone and now we have two more young men rotting in jail through no fault of their own.Now how can anyone say that someone gave an individual a gun and a ride when the reality of it is they had a gun to their heads.I feel for the families of the fallen police officers but where is compassion?.I think the families should put this to rest and call for a mistrial for Shawn Hennessey and his brother-in-law.This is the worst injustice I've ever seen

I'm reading comments from people who are totally unsympathetic to the position of the Henessey family. Let's remember here that we don't often get to hear the other side of it, we only hear the police. And while I commend the police for the job they have to do everyday, they are not perfect and make mistakes. It seems to me that I felt nothing but honesty from Shawn and his wife and he accepted responsibility for his act of omission. I truly believe that many people act the same way every day, looking the other way. Let's not judge him too harshly before walking a mile in his shoes. To sum up, the sentence was way too harsh for an act of omission. Shame on our justice system.

After watching this show I do believe that Shawn and Dennis are guilty -Shawn for handing over a gun but only because he felt James was a threat to his wife and children ( all the articles said that everyone was terrified of this man yet the law expected this young man to stand up to him ) and both Shawn and Dennis are guilty of driving James to his home, should the charges not fit the crime? What if they had told the police as soon as they dropped him off? Would that have done any good. Take a look in James past history of how many times he was able to beat the charges and allowed to go on terrorizing the town).
They were not with James Rosco when this horrible event happen. The sentences they received were not equal to what they were guilty of. Its a shame that the police and our system could not have kepted James Rosco behind bars on at least one of his many many crimes that he had comment before this had happened.
I do hope that this program was viewed by some very good lawyers who could help both of these man get released or at least receive a punishment that would fit what they are guilty of.
I pray for the families of all the victims including Shawns and Dennis and their families.

On the morning of the murders, it was the RCMP's duty to secure a crime investigation scene. If indeed J Roszko made it back to the shed, it was simply due to the lack of manpower to guard the premises.
One RCMP officer went into the shed unarmed. None of the four had ever been in serious armed confrontations. Roscoe had a life long history of violence. Why was a S.W.A.T. Team not present?
Yet when they(RCMP)arrested Shawn Hennessy, they required at least a dozen officers armed with military assault weapons. A lot of details in this case just don't add up.
Why can't the mounties just accept that in every armed confrontaion, there's a winner and a loser. In this case, everybody lost!

It's so obvious that the RCMP were out on a witch-hunt and desperately looking for a scape-goat to make up for the massive tactical short-comings that resulted in the lives of the 4 mounties being taken.

It's a sad state of affairs in this country with our so-called justice system when 2 men can get charged with man-slaughter when they were't even present at the incident, nor had any knowledge of what was about to go down.

As for the Mr. Big Tactics, they should be outlawed as they are in the US and UK. Mr. Can't Investigate Properly So I Have to Lie is more like it.

Excellent story and I hope the CBC continues to follow this, they obviously have a lot more in the way of integrity and professionalism than the RCMP

Well Cry me a river!! This should be shown in schools of journalism as an example of a self serving interview complete with the teary eyed spouse. Hennessey would have us belive that he is a stand up guy who just got caught up in this, but he chose to do nothing! If he thought Roszko was so violent what exactly did he think he might do when he dropped him off with a rifle and a hand gun at his farm where at least the baliffs were? If he was a stand up guy he could have done a number of things, he could have called after he dropped him off, and failing that he could have stepped up the next day when it bacame apparent what had happend. What he did is accessory to murder...read the criminal code. He wasn't trapped into admitting something he didn't do, neither did Cheezeman. They did this. Now they pay...and when four people are murdered you pay big...its the way the justice system works.

I have to comment on the anti RCMP tone of this and MacIntires other work on this story and others involving the RCMP. Its getting a bit old. Try to do a positive story on the force, there are lots out there. I know this would go against the slant against the force that has been popular the last few years but it would be a refreshing change.

Shawn Hennessey and his wife look to be as they were hiding something from their expression on their faces as there were more to it ,than they were saying, if the police had not found Shawns Grandfathers gun in the building all of this would never had came out ,they would still be selling their weed and life would be the same for them before all this came up with roscoe

I was disgusted in the fifth estate for airing something so one sided and to paint the Mounties in the light of looking for a scapegoat. Hennnesy had numerous opportunities, even after Roszko was dead, to come clean and say what happened but chose not to. Now he comes on tv claiming to be a victim?? Give me a break. The only thing this guy is sorry about is the fact he got caught. He admits to being a drug dealer and a drug user. He gave a ride and a gun to a known lunatic...I feel sorry for the families of the four Mounties involved in this. They have been victimized again.

Since Day-1, I was amazed at how a deranged man, known to police (Roscoe)was able to sneak back during daylight hours and into his quonset hut, undetected,(and in such a wide open area), and ambush unaware mounties.
Why did the RCMP not locate his auto-rifle stashed there? Was the pot and chop shop too obvious?
Time for a new protocol: setting up perimeters and using sniffer dogs.
The subsequent sting operation only cheapens my thoughts on our proud police force, and their use of the archaic law: "an eye for an eye..." Two innocent men are now in jail for risking their own lives.
It could have been anyone giving the perpetrator a lift home that night. Why is this so hard to see?
My deepest sympathies to the families who lost loved ones, consequently I am sorry to say that the Mounties are covering up their own tracks from screwing up!
And further wasting taxpayer dollars. Scenarios as these are better viewed on american crappola cop tv shows.

The CBC should be ashamed for airing this peice of tripe. What a totally biased piece of journalism.

Hennessey's statement was obviously coached by his lawyer, and still had more holes than swiss cheese. Linden MacIntyre sat there at took it as gospel. Numerous things were left out or not addressed. How can people see it as a frameup, when Hennessey didn't discuss his sting at all, other than to say he suspected the new guy could have been police. No mention of the confession that Cheeseman gave to his boss?

Further, Henessey and his family lied to police all along right from conspiring to say that the gun was stolen, but now suddenly they are having an epiphanny, and we are to believe that this self serving interview is the truth?

So according to Hennessey, everyone else is lying but him. Including Cheeseman, who confessed TWICE, once during the sting, and once to his boss.

If Shawn Hennessey's side of the story is full and complete, it seems to be a terrible injustice that he ( and his brother-in-law) are serving time for an act committed by someone else over which they had no control and were forced to be even remotely associated. His reactions to the situation as he tells it seem to be reasonable and probably typical. Does the verdict assume our responsibilities under the law and to law enforcement are generally and widely known? Is giving someone a ride under duress against the law? Must we report incidences of violent/forced compliance with demands no matter the circumstances? Does everyone? I wonder. I hope this case is appealed. Something isn't right here.

Thank you to Fifth Estate for airing this story. It seems that another tragedy has been created out of an already devestating situation. I would like to hear about the how the RCMP are being held accountable for this disaster and what have they learned from it. It saddens me deeply that our justice system has created this situation.

I really appreciate how the Fifth Estate has continued to follow this story.

Shame on the Canadain justice system, and shame on the RCMP!

This tragedy was great and the lives destroyed are many, but for the RCMP to destroy even more lives in order to make themselves feel less responsible goes beyond the pale!

What exactly is the RCMP's role in this tragedy, and why has this not been addressed?

Doesn't the RCMP have anything better to do than to destroy the lives of a couple of guys that unwittingly became involved in the Mayerthorpe shootings. These are not dangerous criminals, but people caught up in the wrong set of circumstances. How were these guys to know what was going to unfold when the RCMP apparently did not know themselves. How is it going to make anybody feel any better by destroying their family as well? Given that the RCMP who have committed more serious breaches of justice themselves (ie the taser death of the Polish immigrant) and could not focus on doing the right thing, where were the checks and balances in our justice system? If after Mr. Henessey admitted feeling some guilt (who wouldn't) and caved in because of extreme pressure and poor legal advise, the judge had said OK, this warrants 30 days with some time off for good behavior, the message would go out to the RCMP not to pursue frivolous cases for purposes of revenge.

Justice Eric Macklin should be removed from his position for making such a bone-headed decision regarding the fate of Hennessey and Cheeseman.

There was no justice served at all in this case, just a need for the RCMP to exact revenge any way they could and unfortunately the fool sitting in the judge's chair was all for this witch-hunt.

He should be sued, the RCMP should be sued, the crown should be sued and so should the supervisors of the 4 mounties. The last time I checked it was not illegal to drive anyone home.

What a pathetically weak grab at trying to string together evidence.....brutal

I applaud CBC for their continuing coverage of this tragedy. It was heart wrenching to watch Shawn Hennessey and his wife tell their story. It seems to me that the coverage continues to reinforce significant brokenness in our justice and mental health systems. The slaying of the Mounties might never had happened had James Roszko received the mental health services when he needed them years ago, and then after repeat offenses, been incarcerated with an intent to both protect the public and try to get this man some help. It's bad enough that four Mounties were slain and multiple families were affected by that tragedy. Then through a questionable sting operation (aren't these illegal in most civilized societies), two men are accused of being accomplices when they unknowingly and under threat responded to a demand that would result in the horrible tragedy (is it even clear that Roszko knew the Mounties were at his place?) Now Shawn and Dennis are incarcerated --for what purpose? To protect the public, that's ridiculous! For rehabilitation -- for what? For punishment, for doing something under threat of one's life or one's family? What lessons will be learned from this? It's such a tragedy all around. Apparently our justice system felt James Roszko with his violent history could be a free man. This type of scenario is played out again and again in our country. Where is the sense of it all and when will something be done? I can't help but wonder if the outcome would have been different had Shawn and Dennis been associated with wealthy, prominent and well connected families.

This trial and sentencing was is about Justice,its about vengeance, vengeance by incompetent RCMP and the Judiciary that surrounds them.

I am absolutely abhorred by the story you aired last night. What country are we living in where people can get jailed for giving someone a ride and loaning him a gun. We live out in the country and these things happen all the time. Should we quit doing this? Are the risks too high? Can we count on justice?
While I can not even imagine what it must be like for the family of the four RCMP officer who were killed, the same goes for Shawn Hennssey's family. Two little girls who have to groew up with a father and uncle in jail. I have no words for this injustice. What were their lawyers thinking?
Please keep us up to date.

I agree I felt sick watching this segment. How can these two sit there and say they tried to do everything. When Rosco left the house in his own truck with the two men following why did the wife not call the police. They also said they had no idea how violent Rosco was, I think that is bullshit, when you sell drugs for someone you know how violent they can be normal sane people do not sell drugs. I think that they plead guilty to the charges because the crown had enough evidence to convict and they were not looking for a scapgoat, to have them go on television and say the things that they said just made me feel even more for the police officers that lost their lives. You cannot tell me that those two men did not know what was going on. I truly believe that they got off fairly lucky with the sentences they got. I do believe in the death penalty and maybe if Canada had it there maybe less of these people walking around. I was just floored by the things these two people had said on your program, if they think they are going to get sympathy they were sadly mistaken.

Another unbelievable example of police manipulation and brutality. As Canadians we have much to fear at the hands of these characters. Hennessey was about as ordinary a guy as there is; including a very Canadian penchant for using pot.
My burning question after watching the Fifth Estate was "Where was his lawyer? What kind of a plea bargain is that?"
He needs some proper legal representation and fast.

As stated at the onset of this episode, it was aired to give the "other" side a chance to tell their story! They had already told the story from the Mounties side.
So why wouldn't this story by Shawn Hennessey be one-sided? Really!
It is not a bunch of crap! It is the truth behind what we usually see.
I fail to have faith in the police in this situation. Of course it is tragic to see 4 mounties shot down as it is to see anyone, but I see their supervisors as responsible.
They knew this man was crazy. Why were they so lax at the scene? This is a possibility that could happen when dealing with any crazy person. To totally concentrated on the marijuana operation without consideration of something like this happening is uncomprehendable. They said that the "big" gun Roszko used was there at the scene - why was this not discovered by the Mounties. If they had secured the place instead of carting out marijuana, maybe the conclusion would be different.

Then to blame it on Hennessey and his brother-in-law????
If they were in on it, why didn't they hang around instead of just dropping Roszko off?? If the Mounties thought they were that stupid, then obviously they would have been there also.
Somebody please help these people!!

In my opinion the Hennessay's were used here by Mr MacIntyre in his one man crusade against the RCMP.
I don't think he really cares one way or the other about the Hennessays as long as he gets to show the police in a bad light.

Mr Hennessay and his brother-in-law assisted Mr Roszko in his criminal activities. The were drug dealers, plain and simple.

Did Mr Hennessay care about his community,especially with two children growing up in it?.Did he make it a safer place in which to live?
I can't believe he hands over a gun to a known pervert and violent criminal and claims he didn't think anyone would come to any harm. Thats how the drug world works, through violence, Mr Hennessy.Where there are drugs there is extreme violence.
You reap what you sow.
If the RCMP's MR BIG operation can rid us here in Metro Vancouver of the gang murders that are happening almost
on a daily basis I'm all for it.

The real culprit here are the judges who failed to deal with Mr Roszko a long time ago.

We need a justice system that asks...what really happened here?

I'm sorry - I have absolutely no sympathy for Mr. Hennessy. He says he was afraid of Mr. Roszko, but he was a "business partner" with him. He was more than happy to sell weed for him. That doesn't make sense. He obviously knew he did wrong when he lied to the police. If he felt he was innocent he should have come forward the day after the murders. That's what an innocent person does!

what a complete load of garbage. I am sad I wasted an hour watching this. I don't know, would you plead guilty to something you didn't do? What people should realize is that the "Mr Big" sting is also used to clear people and eliminate them as suspects! If they were innocent then that would have been proven in the investigation......wake up people! What if one of those 4 officers were your brother, father, son, uncle? Would you still feel sorrow for Hennessey and Cheeseman, knowing they had the power to stop a tragedy?

s smathers

this story is subjective and dangerous to the public. the objective journalist would have interviewed both of the charged in this tragic story. a fair and balanced report would have revealed exactly why these men pleaded guilty.

Thankyou to the Fifth Estate for telling this heartbreaking story. I am so sorry that Shawn and Dennis have to take the fall for the terrible tragedy that occurred that March day 4 years ago. The loss of the RCMP is unbelievably sad, and the man responsible is dead. These young men have made some poor decisions, but that does not mean they participated in a plan to murder the RCMP. The sting operation, the deliberate be-friending of a female undercover cop to Dennis sickens me. The treatment of the police when they apprehended Shawn, had his wife on the ground in the driveway sickens me. There was no need for such a heavy handed approach. I cannot believe that the lawyers recommended the plea bargain, and I cannot believe that a fair judge would give such a harsh (undeserved) sentence. I am so sorry for Shawn, Christine, the little girls and Dennis. This is truly a waste. I cannot believe that the families of the slain RCMP will feel that justice has been served.

As I watched this show with great interest, I understand how Mr. Hennessy feels the guilt that he does for many things he did wrong -- but 15 years??? I do feel that both Hennessy and Cheeseman should be punished for the wrongs they did, but the sentences they received were way too excessive! I agree that perhaps the Fifth Estate should do another program involving the senior RCMP officers that allowed the rookies to be in the predicament they were in -- would they take any responsibility? I doubt it. My condolences go out to all of the families affected by this tragedy.

It's nice for a change to hear the other side of the story, rather than that of the RCMP who are known to be lairs if they figure they can get away with something.

This incident, along with many others (i.e. YVR, Ian Bush, to name a few) goes to show just how inprofessional and incompetent the RCMP actually are in their work. This is nothing more than a case of the RCMP wanting their man (men) at any cost at all.

Hennessey strikes me as a normal everyday guy, rather than a hardend criminal that a lot of people make him out to be. I can understand the guilt and anger of many, but really, how do you convict 2 men of manslaughter who weren't even present at the incident and who had absoluetly no clue what was going on??

It amazes me that our judicial system is that blind as well; yet in Vancouver, we have a guy that was tasered and subsequently died - with the whole event being captured on film......and nobody is charged? Seems a lot hypocritical to me don't you think?

These guys should appeal and then sue the RCMP for their reckless and vindictive actions.

Two points. First, the sins of these two appear to be those of ommission rather than commission. Had they warned the police, they would not have a problem. If they are guilty of the sin of ommission, then I suggest the provincial Attorney General is equally guilty. Roszko should have been locked up long ago as a dangerous and / or habitual criminal. How many times had he been charged? Convicted? Wasn't one of convictions sexual assault of minor? Everyone considering this case should ask themselves, if you are Hennessy with two small children, are you going to cross Roszko, knowing that the law offers you no pretection from him? We have laws to put away dangerous people indefinitely -- the legal bureaucracy should be using them.
Second,
That interview should be shown to every 12-year old class in the country as an object lesson on why you should be very selective about the friends you keep.

Is this for real? I can not believe that the charges on these men actually stuck. I worked for CSC at the time of this. I followed this story. What bearing did giving him a ride or a gun have on this situation? Especially because no bullets were fired from that rifle. If James never demanded a ride from him - it would have been someone else. Maybe he just would have shot someone and stole thier car. I am not sure how the RCMP figure that this was premeditated and that he spoke of this in the car. How? He didn't know that they were there raiding his place. It has totally disgusted me that two young innocent men have been put in such a predicament as this.Point is this man never killed anyone and did only what he needed to to get this son of a bitch away from his family. Did the RCMP really need to find a reason that 4 officers died in this situation. RCMP and our system should have dealt with this guy years ago. Now, he has taken the life of 4 RCMP members and the lives of these 2 gentleman, not even to mention the children and people he wrecked the lives of years ago. I don't think a physco path as this has the brain power to premeditate anything to this degree.

A question that seems obvious to me but was not emphasized in the article: if someone holds a gun to your head and demands you drive him somewhere, and he later commits a crime, you are not likely to be considered an accomplice and given 15 yrs. So either Hennessey was framed to cover the incompetence of the RCMP, or the article did not mention more serious evidence against him.

Finally we get to hear the other side of the story. My heart breaks for these boys and their families. They are victims in this as much as anyone else. My faith in the justice system was lost years ago as i watch them continue to fail. I myself was hauled out of my place of work by police and interrogated, as at that time they had a tip saying i may have dropped of Jimmy the day of the shooting. I have know Mr. Roscko for the most part of my life but had not had any contact with him in years. I have lived in the same area all my life. It scares me to think that what these young men are facing could have easily happened to me. I do want to express my sorrow for the officers that lost their lives that day and their families. I knew some of the boys quite well, and they are are never far from my thoughts. I truly believe this whole unfortunate chain of events that led to such needly loss of life could have been handled so much better, and that these mens lives could have been saved had the RCMP not failed them. And now because they need to blame someone for this they will destroy more lives, the lives of more families. Think about it everyone and put yourselves in the shoes of these men that have been sentenced. Anyone that knew Jimmy knew how capable he was of extreme violence. The police definely knew. So why send out Rookies that do not have the experience in this kind of situation. So so wrong!! Casting the blame will not ease the concience. The ones that really have the shame know who they are and will have to go to bed every night with knowing their roll and that others know of their roll as well. To Dennis and Shaun, just know that there are people who believe in you and are praying for you. I am one.

This seems to be another case of our RCMP and justice system bullying, bending the law and manipulating press interviews to save their own face, their own incompetence. That two people can be accused of aiding and assisting in murder before the murders were known to be possible, let alone occur, really stretches the imagination. (Why wasn’t the manufacturer of Roszko’s pick up charged with aiding and abetting murder? And the manufacturer of his firearms?)

Collateral damage? No, revenge. The RCMP were really moving the spotlight from a badly managed RCMP operation on Roszko’s farm to some manipulatable young men who had committed some minor drug and firearm crimes. And the justice system agreed! And the defense lawyers seem to have lacked courage and conviction.

The RCMP’s case was obviously weak as they had to resort to a sting operation (of dubious content) to extract a (coerced?) confession. And then the show of force at the time of arrest to try and show how dangerous Shawn was. A great, laughable, overreaction.

A very sad end to a very tragic event.

I do not believe in entrapment and this is exactly what the RCMP have done in this situation.
2 million dollars was spent on this investigation and someone had to take the blame. Roszko had a history with the RCMP and they should have had that farm guarded with more than just 2 officers especially one so new to the force. Where were the dogs?
I do not believe that Hennessey or Cheesman were part of the murder of the Mounties at all. I do believe however that they should have come forward long before they did. It's obvious that Roszko was a sick individual and when you are confronted by someone like that with a gun and you have a wife and 2 little girls you're first reaction is to do what you have to and protect your family. I'm tired of the "authorities" using their badges to play God. My heart truly goes out to the families of the slain mounties. But these people made a choice to join that profession knowing full well the consequences of their jobs. They did not deserve to be killed and it wouldn't have happened if our justice system treated criminals like criminals and not victims like criminals.

I felt sick as I watched your show last night. How many of us would have made the same decision, if faced by a known madman. One of the things we learned right after the Meyerthorpe killings was that the entire community was terrified of this man. Even his father commented that he should have been in prison forever. Given the police track record in keeping women threatened by abusive, violent husbands safe, is it any wonder that this young man with a young family, chose not to be the one to blow the whistle on Roszko. What's he really guilty of? Turning a drug charge into a manslaughter charge? He dealt drugs, lied to police about his relationship with Roszko and got into an ever tighter circle of deception. How much money did the RCMP spend on trapping a naive young man into a confession of guilt where none existed? And how come the police didn't expect Roszko to come loaded for bear? Looks like, as often is the case, they had to find someone guilty, anyone guilty. Fifteen years!! What a travesty of justice!

I thought your story was great but am seriously disturbed. What kind of country have we become when we can be so cruel. What crime did these men commit - they lent a rifle and drove a guy home. There is no proof that they knew the RCMP were at Roszko's farm and since only Roszko and the men were present, there is no way of proving either way if they are telling the truth. Nobody should be required to forecast the future and even the RCMP admitted they did not see Roszko at a serious threat.

I thought in this country you were innocent until proven guilty - apparently this is not the case.

I am ashamed of my country today and would appreciate any information regarding where I could mail a letter and to whom to start putting pressure on our politicians to right this dreadful wrong.

This is a tragic situation that has only gotten worse over time. I can certainly feel for the families of the 4 fallen mounties; personally I can't imagine the devestation they must feel.

On the other hand, there are 2 sides to every story and I am glad the CBC came forward with to explain the other side of this event.

From what I saw, this whole case was nothing more than a witch hunt that was set off by someone asking who drove (Roszko) home. The RCMP and Crown in Alberta have to be completely incompetent to charge these 2 men, who obviosuly had nothing to do with the deaths of these mounties - NOTHING. The RCMP were simply looking to catch anyone remotely associated with this event and make an example out of them by any means neccessary and that to me is not only disgusting, but goes to further explain why the RCMP are not in the best public light these days.

They simply have no accountability and now they have ruined 2 more lives for no purpose other than revenge. And this is our law enforcement??

With so many criminals let out of jail too early like Rosco due to a ridiculous judicial system it should come as no surprise that these tragic events occur. Then to see two inncocent men get caught up in the crossfire and then get sentenced to 12 and 15 years in prison is an OUTRAGE. If the RCMP and undercover agents had spent as much time pursuing Rosco as they did Dennis and Sean this event would have never taken place.
I feel like we citizens need to stand up for these two guys. This is heartbreaking on so many levels!!
If anyone knows what steps are required to be of some asistance I would welcome the feedback. We need to collectively do something. Good grief this is ridiculous!

Great to hear Mr.Hennessey's side of the story. It is sad and troubling that he is in jail. No one from the RCMP are "paying" for having sent young inexperienced members of the RCMP at the home of a known trouble maker and bully. Even knowing that he had often made threats against the police. Just another disappointing decision made by our justice system. I wish nothing but the best to the Hennessey and Cheeseman families.

I am disgusted at CBC for airing something like this. I don't feel sorry for those 2 idiots. I feel sorry for the families of the 4 slain RCMP Officers. You and your broadcasting company should be ashamed of yourselves for airing something so despicable. Where do you get your research, from the neighbouring dump site?

Hennessy and his other nimrod in crime should rot in prison for the rest of their lives for their actions. I am still in awe how you sit them down, and pretend that their "story" is sad, and how they were forced to confess. If you're not guilty, you plead not guilty. Regardless of how much money it's going to cost. As a law abiding citizen, I wouldn't plead guilty to anything I didn't do. They did. THEY DID IT!!

What a shame and I just wasted an hour of my life watching this garbage.

Shame on you and shame on CBC/

If Mr. Hennessey's story is true, and I do believe it to be so, he in part created the mess he now finds himself in for failing to come forward right away.
He does not, along with his brother-in-law, deserve to spend one minute behind bars. The RCMP, the lawyers involved and the courts have failed these men miserably. It sounds to me like these two men have pleaded guilty to something for which James Raszko was solely responsible mainly because they could not afford a trial in which to defend themselves.
I thought I lived in a better country than that - I'm sure they did too!

I am really shocked by watching this program. I can't believe that these boys are locked up! As far as I know there is no "good Samaritan" law in place which would have required them to contact the authorities even if they did know that James was going to kill the Mounties. Of course in hind sight they could have made a better decision, but isn't that what hind sight is?? You don't know what you would do until you are put in that situation. As far as Shawn and Dennis were concerned, I'm sure they were just glad to have gotten Mr Rozsko away from their house and family! I believe Shawn when he says that as far as he knew, James was going to burn down his Quonset. This is something that could have happened to any of us small town people, trying to stay out of trouble... I am saddened. Stay strong boys!

I can't believe that Glenn would even make that comment after he watched the show...Mr. Hennessey didn't have to "take" down Rosco on his own. He could have called the cops at any time - from being threatened at his home to the time he dropped Rosco off at his farm. Don't tell me there is no justice. The only reason why he didn't tell the truth in the first place is because he was selling drugs for Rosco and once again didn't want to get caught. Please... I have no sympathy for these liars. 4 officers died because of Mr. Hennessey's decisions...Don't expect me to feel "sorry" for you because you got caught...

My heart goes out to the families of the four slain officers. It's sad that that animal Roszko didn't live to face the punishment he deserved. Its also sad that Henessy is being forced to absorb the anger that is rightfully Roszko's. If he were alive today I doubt that we would be discussing Henessy. I suspect that our collective thirst for justice would have been quenched by seeing an animal like Roszko led to a maximum security Federal prison for life. I believe that Hennesy didn't know that Roszko was going to harm those officers.

I think the families of the four dead heroes will come to that conclusion in time - however for now, I wish them all God's blessing with their pain. These four officers lived, and died, for justice. Justice should be done.

Excellent reporting, congratulations to Linden MacIntyre for exposing the other side of the story. A public inquire should be held to completely clear two innocent men and make it illegal in Canada (as is the case in the US and England) for the Mr BIG Stings. How much more proof do we need as in the "Someone Got Away With Murder" that this excessive, manipulative, technique does not work. At the same time the RCMP knew that James Roszko was an extreme bully and (they the RCMP)had advised other citizens to move when (they the RCMP) could not protect those same citizens. Knowing all this and Roszko's reputation the RCMP should be investigating and cleaning up there own house as they have failed at their very basic job of serving and protecting the public and protecting the four young officers that got killed. Shame on the RCMP, the Crown and the lawyer that kept defending James Roszko as he terrorized his neighbors.

Thank you for permitting this family to tell their side of the story.

This is a tragic event for all involved.

It's unfortunate that the legal system has failed by sentencing two good and productive individuals (one already vulnerable to the pressures of life)to so many years of incarceration, while others who have molested children, abused or killed their wives/girlfriends, unrepentently committed worse crimes, walk the streets after much shorter sentences.

The law too often turns a blind eye to the facts when cases involve police officers.

I am hopeful that Sean and his brother in law will be able to appeal this sentence.

After seeing this interview, I think we need to ask ourselves whether we would have done anything different. The man's family, including two small children were inside the house when James Roszko showed up with a visible gun. Let's face it, the legal system had not done anything to protect the population from this criminal in the past. I am sorry for the loss of the four Mounties, but who is truly at fault. The RCMP didn't even feel that there was a threat to the officers. The Justice System does more to protect the criminals then it does to protect the population. In my opinion these two men should not be going to prison. Especially for 15 and 12 years.

Thank you CBC for Linden MacIntyre and others at The Fifth Estate. After watching your program last night I awoke several times throughout the night thinking of Shawn Hennessey and his family. If there ever has been a miscarriage of justice this is it. These people are not hardened criminals nor murderers but may lean that way after fifteen years in our prison system. What has happened to our justice system?

Unbelievable. What a total miscarriage of justice to send two men to prision for 12 and 15 years for this??? -What was this??? Giving a man a drive?? That is no crime - it is absolutely ridiculous.

I have absolutely no faith left in the justice system - no wonder people are terrified to tell the truth!

Yes I do believe that Shawn Hennessey and Mr. Cheesman were collateral damage. They are not gulity of anything. In my opinion they didn't even do anything.

And this sytem of tricking people into confessing for crimes to undercover police officers should NOT be allowed or be able to be used as evidence - its coercion.

Someone needs to help these poor men before they waste away in prision for absolutley nothing!! Tell me where is the justice when your trying to protect your own family. It is quite clear to me after watching the show last night that the two men acted in fear - LETS NOT CONFUSE FEAR FOR GUILT!!

Someone needs to help them.

Hennessey and Cheeseman made some poor choices that contributed to the death of the four mounties and are being severely punished for their poor judgement, but there are mitigating factors that the Fifth Estate only partially touched on. While intimidation by Roszko was acknowledged as a reason for their behavior, the role of senior RCMP officers involved in this tragic incident was only touched on. I do not condone what Hennessey and Cheeseman did, but how is it acceptable that senior officers sent four young, inexperienced and lightly armed or unarmed mounties to Roszko's farm, knowing full well the potential danger? Were these senior officers held to account? All police will circle the wagons and protect their own at all costs, and it would seem this was at work here.

Thank you for sharing the story of Shawn Hennesy. Up until last night I felt the media took a slanted approach to broadcasting the story. My heart goes out to Shawn and Dennis. I believe I would have done the same thing if put in that situation. I feel sorry for all the families involved - those of the mounties and of Hennesy and Cheesemen. I don't believe these 2 men should have such sentences. What a tragic loss.

I can't help but feel compassion for these two men. The big mistake they made was not coming forward with their information. How can they be held accountable for what someone else did? The RCMP themselves have stated that there was no way the act of Rozcoe could have been predicted. As well, the rifle that was borrowed was not fired during the crime, which leads me to believe that Rozcoe was indeed planning on burning the place down, until he realized that the RCMP were already at the site. During that night in the bushes, he hatched his plan to ambush them - that was when he snuck back into the barn and retrieved the assault rifle. Sad.

I find it a gross miscarriage of justice that Mr. Hennessey and his brother-in-law are going to serve long jail terms. Mr. Hennessey gave a gun out of fear for his family to a potential madman. Had he been aware of Mr. Roszko's plans I doubt that he would have given the gun. I also doubt that he was aware of the extent of Mr. Roszko's violence and madness. What a sad story! I ponder what any one of us would have done under such circumstances.

Please tell me that these innocent young men can't appeal this and win without years of mental anquish and financial ruin. If our judicial system is based on democratics, I don't recall voting for such ludacracy. Our judicial methods are not a system, they are a game and may the best itimidator and bully win is the objective. How do we change this? Please don't misunderstand that my heart broke the day of this tragedy, however the cause of the tragedy is also dead and others should be left unassociated as they clearly are. Mr. Hennessey my heart goes out to you and your family and my deepest respect for how you DID handle yourself, yes mistakes were made but you did what 99.9% of us would have done to protect your family and none of us would have known the right way to proceed. Fear plays a terrible role in circumstances and hindsight chances much. Christine my heart aches for you. I would like to help this family somehow, if anyone can tell me how to help please direct me.

I can't believe our justice system allows such a travesty of justice to take place in this day and age.

From the details in the Fifth Estate newscast last night, I just don't understand why Shawn felt he should plead to 2nd degree murder because he was afraid he'd be convicted of 1st degree murder and serve a longer sentence. The man did not commit the crime nor did he know it was going to happen and I think he was completely wrong to plead guilty.

What does it say about our justice system when the threat of years in prison puts someone in a position to plead guilty to something they did not do? What is a trial all about? Is that not what determines the outcome - ie facts, etc? The cops wanted to make sure someone paid for this and they truly got the wrong person. It is shameful and I am glad Fifth Estate exposed this for all to see.

If I were Shawn, I would insist on a lie-detector test every day of my sentence, every single day, to prove that I am innocent - and I would not stop until I was freed and given millions of dollars for a huge crime inflicted upon me - one as senseless as the murdered RCMP officers killed by a deranged man and Shawn imprisoned by a supposed fair judicial country. Talk about a crime!!! That takes the cake!!!

Somethings wrong with this! the justice system is so wrong. Its so sad that they are paying the price for someones elses crime! This should never have happened!

I really enjoyed your show tonight but I really take pitty on Shawn Hennessey and his family.I also ask why he is serving a 15 year sentence when he didn't kill those policemen. My point of view is that he got caught up in something that he couldn't control. If anything he is a victim as well.The justice system is very confusing and a lot of times is so unfare.There is many of us who if ever in that situation would of done the same thing and i don't think Shawn should be punished for james Roszko's actions. Very disappointed in the Justice System.

I have been watching this story mostly from just the 5th Estate, but did a bit of research online to try and find out more info...as one show I saw, made me so skeptical of what these two actually did in "helping" Roscoe. After last night, I just wanted to let the Hennessey Family know that they have support out there. I cannot believe that our (NON) justice system allows for this type of injustice! Thank you for staying on top of this 5th, and keeping the public informed of the TRUTH.

My heart goes out to Shawn Hennessey,his family, as well as the 4 families of the RCMP officers. But this truly is a miscarriage of justice! It seems to me that the RCMP made numerous errors, and then in order to deflect the spotlight, so to speak, they went after someone else. Why did they proceed onto Roszko's property to begin with if he had driven off with the truck? Did they have the right to go snooping on his property because he had defaulted on his truck payments? Having had previous dealings with Roszko, they, the RCMP, should have realized he was potentially dangerous, and therefore proceeded very carefully, and at the very least, figured out his whereabouts before grabbing the goods. Yet Shawn Hennessy was supposed to know he was capable of this horrendous act? I don't think so! Was he guilty? Maybe? Does he deserve 15 years? NO WAY! 15 months maybe! And his brother-in-law? The poor kid didn't deserve what he got either-not the sentence, or his treatment by the "undercover" officers. They should be ashamed of themselves.

After watching your program last night, my heart breaks for these 2 young men and their families. There is no doubt in my mind they are in jail right now because the police and the their families just wanted SOMEONE to rott in jail for the loss of their loved ones. While i understand their pain, it was James Roszko who commited these murders. These 2 young men were terrified and in my opinon victims of Roszko's terror as well. We can all say that we would have called the police, but until your in these pople shoes, you have no idea what you would have done. We let violent criminals back out on the street everyday. If they had of called the police what would have been done? The police were already not following procedure. The punishment they recieved is too harsh. The police, the crown and the families of the slain mounties should feel ashamed for pushing so hard for these 2 to spend their lives behind bars for murders they did not commit. If JAmes Roszko had not killed himself and was alive to take the blame, what would they have been charged with? I think the charges would have been much lighter. Again my heart breaks for them. Our justice system in Canada is a joke and seriously flawed.

How is that within the last month it has been driven home that "Mr Big" just isn't working. This is the saddest story. Not to diminish the grief of the families of the RCMP officers, but to tear apart the lives of these 2 kids just so the RCMP does not have to look inward and admit fault on their part. They were inept when they went to the farm, sent out inexperienced officers to tear apart a pot growing operation knowing that Roszko was armed and dangerous. This is a travesty and YES these kids are scapegoats! They were coerced into a false confession of murder and given 15 years just so the powers that be could feel better about the mistakes they made.

"And justice for all"

Mr Hennessy has made some questionable choices surrounding the murders, but none that should result in this kind of outcome.

Why, with adequate legal representation, Mr Hennessey would plead guilty to charges of 4 counts of manslaughter when he is accused of 4 counts of murder. How would the crown prove "Intent" in this case?

To have pleaded guilty to manslaughter without allowing a jury take in consideration all the attenuating circumstances is deceiving.

With all the pressure he has been subjected to, it does not help him to keep a strait head about taking is chance with the justice dept. Yes ... people have to result to take a chance between two evil (is it not ludicrous)

I think that our ill equipped Justice system, was interested in pushing as hard as possible to find someone to blame(after the only killer is dead)instead of finding out the truth about these terrible events.

We all have seen it in the past, legal representation has a more important effect that what you have done. Murderers have with the aid of lawyers walked away from the "Law" (OJ)

If the four killed would have been civilians instead of police officers, I think that the fact that the victims were police offices had an impact in the way this whole investigation was pursued. I don't think that all the efforts of undercover infiltration would have been elaborated in this matter.

I feel for the family's of the lost ones and I would like to know what are their views. If the prosecution of these two young man has been perceived as justice ?

My view is that this is an other injustice!

J.P Rufiange (Retired Medic)

What a frame-up! And what has happened to our once respected Mounties? From the horrible incident at the Vancouver Airport to this? I have lost faith in their ability to police fairly and responsibly.

I was so impressed by Linden MacIntyre's calm, strong demeanor with this young couple who obviously were distraught (to say the least).
How could this esteemed arm of the justice system get it so wrong? In Canada we have a culture of trust in the RCMP ........but the recent episodes of betrayal are crumbling the foundations of that trust. It's a very sad day for all of us.
I was appalled by the elaborate undercover work - it smacked of the American system of 'due process' where the ends are justified by any means.
I am thankful for your coverage of this ongoing saga.

It is appalling but unfortunately not surprising to see the RCMP ensure they have someone who is alive to publicly take the "blame" for the death of 4 Mounties. Their deaths were unnecessary and a horrible tragedy, but I do not believe these two young men deserve the punishment given. The RCMP are more responsible: they left young inexperienced officers at a property of a man with a history of defiance against the police. But in what I interpret as a lame explanation to minimize their responsibility, their own report stated that Rosco was not deemed a physical threat, so why should these two young men be expected to have known what he was capable of? Mr. Hennessey acted out of concern for his own family's safety and his brother in law simply arrived home 5 minutes too early. If Mr. Hennessey had tried to take the gun from Rosco and failed, the possible 4 member family's deaths would have been national news for 1 night, and then forgotten except by those in the community and who knows who else Rosco would have hurt after that. With all due respect and compassion for the Mounties' families, why are their lives and deaths worth more attention and concern than the young Hennessey family's? Mr. Hennessey's only crime is not speaking up immediately out of fear and shock, a reaction I am confident many honest Canadians would share.

After watching the show last night, I was full of questions. How could this young man be left with this sentence? This is totally unreal. How a poisoned man like James Roszko can win out even after his death. People were looking for someone to blame with Roszko gone, they had to pin it on someone!
Why were the police there with such lax organization? They knew this man was fit for anything! There was always the chance that he would come back and being as crazy as he was fit for anything!
Blaming Shawn Hennessey is so unreal! He was protecting his family and trying to get this man away from them. How could he have known what Roszko would do later? All the evidence is so circumstantial!!! It is like the police are saying "We have to blame someone!"
The rifle he took from Shawn was not even used - he no doubt asked for it from Shawn so Shawn would not have it..for Roszko kept coming back to Shawn's house and was not going to leave until he got what he wanted.
Please someone do something for this young man - this is so ridiculous!!
My prayers are with the Hennessey family!
Innocent mounties were killed and now an innocent man has to suffer.

Am I missing something here? There has been plenty of (mis)information released from day one concerning suspected accomplices in this case. I was expecting at worst to see men as dispicable as the murderer himself, at best morally defunct individuals deserving some serious punishment for aiding in this atrocity. All I saw last night was a man put in a position that many of us could find themselves in at some point in our lives. His brother in law sounds similarly average. They made some bad choices in their relations with James Roszko but don't appear to be getting anything resembling justice. For my own piece of mind, I hope to find out that Shawn Hennesey is lying about his involvment and that he's as culpable as the sentence would suggest. But deep down I know that that isn't so.

After watching the interview.....I consider myself very lucky, I used to hang with Mr, Roszko, He was a man that ...wouldnt take no for an answer, Esp if he was mad at you or a person you was with, Mr,Hennessy was in a predicument and the only way out of danger at his door step was to give James what he wanted, that was a ride to his farm, I knew Mr Roszko and he was very secretive on the intentions he was to partay in future plans, Meaning he would not have told the two boys what his intentions where. 15yrs is a long time in Jail...The person that should be in jail is Mr Rozsco's mother, The only person James trusted ...was her.. she knew every thought and act that James was to persue, She divorced successful farmers so she and James would have a perfect life, Mr Hennessy I tip my hat off to you, I RESPECT WHAT YOU DID AND HOW YOU ACTED...In 1999 I thought I had killed Mr Roszko @ the end of his driveway...his mother scraped him off the gravel that night...I wished that I had ended him now...I hope your mind will stay with you in those cells, cause you don't deserve to be there,

ITS HARD TO BELIEVE THOSE TWO PEOPLE ARE IN JAIL? THEY DID NOT KNOW THAT ROSZKO WAS GOING TO KILL FOUR MOUNTIES. IF THEY DID THEY WOULND'NT HAVE GIVEN HIM A RIDE OR A GUN. THEN AGAIN WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN A GUY HAS A LOADED GUN ? IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE GUILTY ONES ARE THE RCMP FOR LETTING A GUY SNEAK PAST THEM. A PLACE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GAURDING.INSTEAD OF TAKING THE BLAME FOR THEIR OWN MISTAKES THEY HAD TO FIND A SCAPEGOAT.HENNESSY AND CHEESEMAN.I GUESS ITS TRUE WHAT THEY SAY. THE MOUNTIES ALWAYS GET THIER MAN, EVEN IF THEIR INNOCENT.

Its a shame two innocent young men are going to prison for this length of time,It seems these two young men were scared and didn't know what to do. they didn't pull the trigger Rosco Did ! and he paid with his Life,I can see it already in a few years the justice department will be saying sorry we made yet another mistake,please forgive us while trying to bribe two more inocent men with tax payers money for wrongfull convictions..Imo I think the cops and justice department just needed someone else that was living as a scapegoat to beat up..Its time to make major changes in the justice department as its long over due with all the corupt officials in the system

Some of the details of this story are so loathsome and disturbing. The RCMP and their "sting" operation, faces painted like warriors taking down some heinous criminals, dragging Mrs. Hennessey face down through the dirt.
What a profound revelation to hear that the charges were justified, in part, on the premise that Shawn and Dennis "should have known that Rosco would seek revenge on the Mounties". But the experienced Mounties who had dealt with Rosco previously "were not expected to know" and sent officers fresh out of training. Isn't it their responsibility in a small town to know who the dangerous people are. It would seem the commanding officers carried a burden of guilt they could not bear so they sought to place some of that burden onto the shoulders of these two men. Fifteen years in jail for the crime of poor judgement under duress. This is a tragedy compounded.

This story deserves more attention from the media about the RCMP actions in framing these two men. The whole way they got the evidence against them should be illegal!!

They are Scapegoats plain and simple.

I truly do not understand why two young men are paying the price for a crime that was done by James Roszko. I feel that the Rookie police officers should never have been on his property alone, knowing the back ground of this man, never mind the fact that the swat team came to take down Shawn who never had a criminal background at all. I feel that two young men are paying the price for a major mistake the Mounties made. True enough, that Shawn and Dennis made a mistake, but we know who pulled the trigger the day the Police officers were killed. I do not understand how Canadians can allow the Mr. Big Sting to be legal. The Canadian tax payers should have a right to know what our dollars are going towards! I wish we knew for sure that the defense lawyers for Shawn and Dennis we actually there to defend them. With all of the other things involved I truly wonder if the whole court proceedings were just a BIG STING as well. It really makes a person wonder if our World is truly this corrupt!!! Let's hope that Shawn and Dennis can have honest Justice served to them, as I truly believe that they deserve.

For the Fifth Estate to take everything Mr. Hennessey states as being gospel is a huge mistake. This person had every opportunity to do the right thing and just did nothing! Crocodile tears now are a little too late. How guilty could he have felt selling dope for Roszko! If Hennessey was afraid of Jim Roszko why go into business with him? Hennessey and Cheeseman are responsible for their own fate.
The RCMP clearly underestimated Roszko's hatred and four young members paid the price. Perhaps a fatality inquiry will actually show what precautions should have been in place that night so that other members will actually learn something from this tragedy. To wait over four years to get that information is far too long!

I am shocked and disgusted at the CBC and the Fifth Estate for their COMPLETE one-sided take on the Mayerthorpe murders.
These guys helped murder 4 heros and my tax dollars go into make them look like victimized.
Shame on the CBC and shame on the individuals who sold their sole to make a few bucks by letting Mr. HENNESSEY tell his lies to Canada via our taxpayer funded media outlet.
I can`t belive that you would give this man a window to make people feel bad for him.
Another example of how the CBC is anti-military, anti-police, anti-justice, anti-victim rights, anti-government and anti-Canadian. Another example how the CBC is pro-criminal, pro soft on crime, pro drugs, and pro left-wing.
I hope you have trouble sleeping at night for the rest of your life as a result of this irresponsible journalism.

I started watching this documentary with an open mind but the longer I watched the more I could see why he is going to jail. Shawn had many opportunities to do the right thing and he chose not to.
He could and should have been the hero but no instead he chose to cover his own butt and now four people are dead.
Even after he should have at least went to a lawyer and then to the cops.
He seems very sorry now but he made his bed with his cowardly acts and now he has to lie in it.

Our justice system in Alberta stinks.Mr Hennessey and Mr Cheeseman went to jail basically because they had knowledge of an impending crime and they did nothing about it.They turned a blind eye to the situation.Well I have documents that show the Alberta goverment has did the same thing. Does the fifth estate want them?

I hardly know where to begin. I am so disturbed over the convictions of Hennessey & Cheeseman. What is it that they are guilty of? From what I understand this Rosko person had, at least, some police scared to deal with him so how could they expect a couple of regular people to not also be scared? And why was he running around loose terrorizing everyone? If he had been locked up like he was supposed to be, the RCMP officers would not be dead and two innocent young men would not be taking the wrap for this. How could Hennessey and Cheeseman have stopped this? Where is the evidence that they were involved in this at all? Even if Hennessey did give Rosko a gun, it wasn't the murder weapon. Second, Hennessey gave it to him under extreme threat. Third, Hennessey had no reason to believe that anyone's life was in danger. So, where is the evidence? I no longer trust the justice system nor do I trust the law enforcement system. The treatment of Hennessy and his wife on the day he was arrested is unforgiveable. I am so appalled that two young men can be sent to jail for a horrific crime that they didn't have anything to do with. They need a Boston Legal lawyer and if I had the money I would gladly pay for it. This scares me. It really scares me.

OMG! Where do I begin, I cant even go to bed. No wonder most of the population hates or distrusts cops and the justice system. These two young men didnt do anything I would not have done. Talk about looking for a scape goat to hang, the RCMP and the judge should be totally a shamed of them selves. When I was growing up I was taught that if you need help run to a police officer, I am raising my kids to approach a police officer with caution as they can harm you too! My god, 12 years and 15 years, for a ride home and a gun that wasnt used in the killing of the police! the law gets dirtier by the year, they just make me sick. I dont agree with the killing of the four officers, but I dont agree with taking these two young mens lives away because the real criminal killed himself. Lately the police and the justice system have earned the reputation that they have, and instead of being happy to meet a police officeer when I do, I am always taken aback and causious because they can not be trusted, and my first thought is ..how are they gonna screw me now? I feel so so sorry for these two men and their families, I could see 1 or 2 years just to make the officers families happy, but 12 and 15 years.. sheesh.. as the saying goes, "there but for the grace of god go I".. thank your lucky stars he didnt drive into your yard!

First, THANK YOU "Fifth Estate" for your consistant courage and service to all your viewers.
Assuming the truth in 'Collateral Damage" and the confession of Mr. Hennessey, a massive injustice has just occurred in this harsh sentencing. This story is a real tragedy for ALL the victims.

This is so wrong!!!!!I am so mad. Leave these men alone. 12 and 15 years???? They were not there. They did not pull the trigger. What is wrong with our system? Now we have our scapegoats we can all sleep better. Unbelievable.

Its a shame Mr Hennessy did not step up and do the right thing by telling the truth rather than concealing the truth for 2 years and causing more anguish to grieving families and communities. His remorse seems o be more for himself and his family and the fact that he got caught. He had ample time to call the police to alert them and if he had this tragedy could have been prevented. I do not believe him when he says Roscoe did not tell him of his intentions. His indignation at being tackled by police and having a gun pointed at him is quite minor considering 4 police officers were gunned down and lost their lives. I find it quite amazing that his wife feels the victims families should be considering what THEY have gone through. There is no comparison. I don't feel these people are taking responsibility for their part in this and they are making excuses..they are content in feeling that had they reported Roscoe, nothing would have been done or he would have retaliated. How about considering the fact that something might have prevented this enormous tragedy. One phone call.

I would like to say that Mr.Hennessey is a liar. If you watched this program you will see that he said that he had not heard about what type of person Roszko was. If he did not know then there is no reason not to call the police and ask for help. We as Canadians are to conditions to believe whatever the media tells us. It was on TV it must be true, wake up. Mr.Hennessey sold drug for Roszko and did not want to be caught and he help him Murder four Police Officers. The I didn't know theory does not hold water someone comes to you asking for a rifle and ammunition in the middle of the night n a rage and you take the time to wipe fingerprints off it to ensure yours are not on it that shows that he knew. Wake up people.

Someone needs to organize a monetary fund to support an appeal for these boys. By Hennessey's account, on the night before Roszko murdered the RCMP members, they are guilty of nothing more than being neighbourly, that is, offering Roszko a ride home and the use of a rifle (a common registered one at that). Although, most neighbours do not ask for rides while brandishing a gun.

I suppose the argument could be made that they were guilty of knowledge of a grow operation and it's impending demise, and perhaps too of not informing the RCMP that they were Roszko's means of transportation back to his mother's place, BUT this is a far cry from manslaughter.

I question too, the defender's recommendation that they plead guilty. No jury of peers would find them guilty for giving an acquaintance a ride, extraneous circumstances notwithstanding (repo truck, guns, and marijuana).

At any rate, the punishment does not fit the crime.

In your interview with Mr. Hennessey he freely admits he sold marihuana for James Roszko, he also admits to supplying Roszko with a ride and a gun. After the murders Hennessey was given numerous opportunities to tell what he knew about the incident and chose to lie, numerous times. These are not the actions of an honest person, no matter how afraid he says he was. Mr. Hennessey was afraid because he knew what he had done was wrong and did not have the moral fortitude to come forward and do the right thing. Mr Hennessey says he is pleading guillty to manslauter because his funds have run out and he wants to get back to his normal life, this doesn't make any sense. The provice will pay for a legal aid lawyer for as long as it takes and ending up in prison for a long period of time doesn't sound like a normal life to me. It makes more sense that Mr.Hennessey's lawyer advised him that taking a plea to manslauter was a lot safer than going to trial on a murder charge. As a side note I'd just like to say that the cbc's reporting on this whole issue has been biased against the police investigation from the beginning. You should be ashamed of yourselves the way you take a side when you don't have all the facts, which you obviously didn't have in this case. Innocent people don't plead guilty to something they didn't do, no matter how hard the defence lawyers try to convince us otherwise. I don't expect to see my comments aired or have a response from your organization but you really should appoligize to the RCMP for your biased reporting on this issue. Thanks

I support the RCMP as much as anyone and believe they should be applauded for the commendable service they provide to many towns and cities throughout the country. However, I believe a tremendous disservice has been done towards Mr. Hennessey and Mr. Cheeseman. They are indeed colatoral damage, as there seemed to be a need to make someone accountable for these murders other than the person who actually committed this cowardly act.
Their inability to afford an adequate defense resulted in someone giving inadequate advice in taking a plea.
FIFTEEN YEARS for doing something anyone of us might have had to have done in order to protect our families?
Granted, Hennessy and Cheeseman are no angels and should be held accountable for their actions.
It is painfully apparent that not only did Hennessey and Cheeseman not know what action Rossco would take, but that Rossco himself did not have a concrete plan, as there was no way he could have known the police were on his land!
As for the sentence? Collateral damage is an understatement. The RCMP and their 'MR BIG' sting were determined to find someone accountable for these murders, even though their was no doubt who the killer was.
Is there anyone out there who can help reverse this heinous miscarriage of justice?

After hearing about this and watching this video I think these sentences for Hennessey and Cheeseman are totally unfair. So what they gave Roszko a ride home, Hennessy was fearful for the safety of his family. Shawn also didn't want to be caught for the pot that was growing, like I understand it's an illegal drug and all, but it's minor to what James did to them. If anyone was in a position like this one do you think you would've chose to wrestle for the gun?? People don't think clearly in a scary situation like this. What if Hennessy did wrestle Roszko for the gun, and instead he died? Then Roszko killed Hennessey's family also? Do you truly think a family of four would have this much justice? I think not. Yes, they were RCMP officer's that were killed, but they are still people just like me or anyone else. If this was a family of four murdered it wouldn't be so harsh on anyone who gave Roszko a ride or anything. No, it would probably be less harsh on people. Either way someone died and just because they were RCMP officer's doesn't mean that Hennessey and Cheeseman deserve to pay so harshly for their error. People make mistakes and as you can see Shawn is deeply regretting it. I just don't think it's fair that they have to pay for what Roszko did, considering he took the coward way out and killed himself and let the two others pay. I understand the fact that RCMP are there to protect us but shouldn't they have known of Roszko's criminal records?? Also where were they when Rosko was hurting innocent people?? They should have been more prepared for this situation. Just a little note to add to this I am only fifteen years old and though I'm young I feel strongly about this.

If the Boys are at fault because they should have known better then so too should the Authorities. My hope is that your story will alert the public of how outrageous this seems just to be certain that there is someone punished for the Horrible Tragic situation where 4 out of 5 died needlessly and perhaps cry out for review

I feel so sorry for Hennesey and family and for Chessman, They are innocent people but are being used as escape goats as the RCMP made a big mistake. We all can make mistakes but don't blame some one else... One RCMP officer without even a gun and they knew what kind a person he was. Hennesey and Chessman were scared, fearing for their life as well as their family. He idn't use the rifle he borrowed and they dropped him off at his Mothers.Our JUSTICE system need alot of improving. There is no justice in this.

Opportunity lost! Now that this matter has been resolved in the courts, and that additional information - previously under publication ban - has been made available, this was a great chance for the CBC to present viewers with an objective account of these events. Instead, and not surprisingly, it turned out to be another piece of blatantly one-sided reporting by Linden MacIntyre. He's either very easily fooled or overly ambitious to advance his own agenda - either way, the public was got short-changed by this shoddy journalism.

Shawn Hennessey's interview was a joke. "I wanted to be honest, I wanted to tell the truth". Please, he was so broken up about the part he played in the deaths of these police officers he did what? He lied, and continued to lie for years until through a long expensive investigation he was caught. It is clear his biggest regret is that his brother in law was dumb enough to get caught. To the Hennessey family; your son, your brother, your husband's actions contributed to the deaths of four men who's only reason for being where they were was to protect you and all Canadians. He still is not accepting responsibility for what he has done. Did you raise you son to lie and be devoid of a conscious? because that is who he is and that is what he is teaching his children to be. You continue to assist him as he assisted James Roscoe with something you know is wrong - have you learned nothing?

I was very interested in this story , I feel very sad for the families of the lost RCMP officers. What made me angry though, was the comments at the end of the story, this being , the blame taken away from the senior RCMP , that knew the dangers Rozsko was capible of , and turned toward the accused, the fact that four junior officers were left to secure a volitile area, the fact that one officer was even unarmed ,and the fact that " lets have two sacrificed lambs " take the fall for the mistakes of a police force that should have known better !!! Oh yes and we will deplete thier resorses to defend themselves, and scare tactic them into a guely plea !!!REST IN PEACE OFFICERS... SHAME ON THE JUSTICE SYSTEM !!!

Before I saw your show tonight, I feared there had been a terrible injustice to the two who have been convicted and sentenced. Your broadcast tonight has convinced me that to be the case. Justice has run amuck, Coersive behavior of the rcmp, crown counsel and judge who failed recognize this corersion, and the failure of the laqyers representing the two accused to appropriately counsel the two says little for the Canadian justice system. I applaud the fifth for its work and urge the principals of the fifth to continue their investigation of this travesty of justice. I would hope the the federal minister of justice viewed this expose' and has the fortitude to order a review of the case.

Over the past five years, in BC, the vast majority of people have been losing respect for and confidence in the RCMP (Brutality, Drunk Driving, Misuse of Tasers, Cover Ups, an Abysmal record in dealing with gang warfare,etc.). After watching this broadcast, and previous, it is beyond me how "Mr. Big" entrapments are permitted in the courts of this Country. Speaking as a British Columbian I want the RCMP the hell out of this Province. It is long over due we had a Provincial police force accountable to Victoria, not Ottawa. Is there not a legal mind out there who can help this man and his family whom have been clearly railroaded. Beyond disgust!

In hindsight, Shawn Hennessey says he wishes he would have dealt with James Roscoe the day he showed up on his doorstep with a gun, but how many of us would have acted any differently fearing for our family's safety? He stated he was pleading guilty to manslaughter because he didn't have faith in the legal system if his case went to trial. After hearing Hennessey's tragic story, I certainly can understand his lack of faith in the legal system.

The RCMP knew that James Roszko was a threat. When the first warrant was served there was ammunition of different calibers found in the hut. Leaving 4 officers there, who were not long in the force, was a huge mistake. Cheeseman gets hooked up with an undercover female officer who wants to impress her will say anything. Where is Cheeseman's statement? Hennessey's lawyer definitely has being a prosecutor in his job criteria. He did not defend his client to the best of his ability and when the Hennessey's money was gone, that was the offer of a plea bargain. This documentary made me sick to my stomach. If justice was to be served then it should have been fairly. The Hennessey's were guilty of possession of pot and selling it, not the murder of 4 RCMP members. Hopefully a lawyer who actually wants to get to the whole truth will help Hennessey and Cheeseman, by re-opening both these men's cases. Let's also remember Roszko was leaving a will and told his mother and sister. That tells me this freak knew exactly what he was going to do. Why didn't the mother and sister disclose the death threat of their son and brother. Certainly Hennessey and Cheeseman didn't know Roszko had every intention of killing himself. Again I pray some attorney will see the dark side of these cases and have both cases re-opened.

Had the RCMP expended even half the resources that went in to the "Mr Big" sting, chances are they would have been able to arrest and convict the true culprit in the deaths of the four officers.
Had the RCMP sent even a quarter of the officers to secure the crime scene on the Roszko farm with the same kind of firepower that they dispatched to arrest Hennessey, it is doubtful that Roszko would have been able to walk through the back door of the quonset and take the officers by surprise. (WHY was no one watching the back of the quonset?!)
I am deeply troubled by the fact that based on their own report, the RCMP did not consider Roszko a threat to the officers safety - that his behaviour was not anticipated. Yet the case against Cheesman and Hennessey seems to rest on the fact that they did know, or should have known, that Roszko was likely to attack the officers.
But then, that is something that a lot of people don't understand. The people living in Mayerthorpe and the surrounding area have always been far more aware of just how dangerous Roszko was - this was one scary individual. I met him once. Just once. And he scared me.
I don't for a minute doubt the real sense of fear Hennessey must have experienced. To those who claim that they would act differently, well, I have to wonder.
I don't disagree that both Hennessey and Chesseman should be serving time for lying to police, withholding information and for any involvement Hennessey had in the sale of marijuana. But to bring a case for murder or manslaughter...that's just wrong.
Roszko said that the cops would never get him. They never did. A couple of years was all Roszko got for a horrendous crime against a terrified young man. In the end the victim probably wished it would all just go away. No, the cops never did get Roszko. They could have. If they had been as hell bent on getting Roszko as they were about getting Cheeseman and Hennessey. If they had expended the same resources. Provided the same expertise. Gave a damn.
Oh, the RCMP got their man...or men. They've done their level best to distract the public. But for one that has always held the RCMP in the highest esteem, I have to say that my illusions have been shattered. The powers that be in our national police force have only added another layer of tragedy to an already heartbreaking story.

I agree with the first comment posted ! What a justice system we have . These two men (Shawn Hennessey & Dennis Cheesman) only drove the man home and thought that James Roszko was only going to burn his crop !
Our court system punishes them for that and NO questions asked of why there were 2 Mounties were there on guard, why there was no other precautions taken for their safety, etc. What a joke!
Thanks CBC for showing the interview with the Hennessey Family . It shows a clearer picture of the unjustice in our justice system and how some people take the fall for others unprofessionalism.

Please don't try and make victims out of Hennesey and Cheeseman. Although they weren't as guilty as Jimmy Roszko, they were accomplices to this horrific crime and need to be punished. 12 and 15 years in prison sounds pretty harsh, but think about how little of that they will actually serve behind bars. The TV show offers a pretty self-serving version of the events, and no doubt Hennesey's lawyers approved of him making that interview.
The fact that 'Mr Family Man' Hennesey was trafficking drugs for Roszko was downplayed in the show. It definitely casts doubt on the show's claim that they hardly knew each other, when they were actually criminal associates. The trafficking crime alone can carry a 10 year prison sentence.
So, no tears for these guys. They got a pretty sweet deal and that's why their lawyers told them to take it.
If they'd gone in front of a jury they probably would have done worse.

The death of the four RCMP officers is a huge tragedy and my thoughts go out to their familes. One of the things that bothers me about this tragedy is the refusal of the RCMP to admit that they also made a mistake!Jim Roszko had a lengthy list of encounters with the RCMP and the justice system. Why wasnt there more effort put into the whereabouts of Mr Roszko? If Mr Hennessey and Mr Cheeseman were to know that he was capable of murder then shouldn't the RCMP have also known this by the numerous run ins that they have had with him? The 4 RCMP officers were put into a bad situation by the lack of concern of where Mr Roszko was. Even a retired Mayerthorpe RCMP officer stated it was well known at the detachment what Mr Roszko was capable of, yet he was not secured before proceeding onto the porperty. I just hope that the RCMP's failure to admit guilt doesnt lead to another death in the future. RCMP officers are humans, humans make mistakes, but also learn from these mistakes. Mr Hennessey admited to driving him back and giving him a gun to help burn down the quonset....but also that he did not know what Mr Roszko's real plans were.......does this deserve a 15 year sentence? I dont think so!

Sure hope this sentence will be appealed - unbelievable the extent the RCMP went to , not to mention the cost of the so called "sting" just to convict someone because the real and only killer took his own life. Certainly it was a sad event for the families of the slay officers , think RCMP policy perhaps a little to blame too but as for these men being responsible, I ask , if they felt threatened by this guy, if we were in the same position , knowing the guy and what he was like , I would probably have given him a ride too - sure wouldn't have called the police to lodge a complaint against the guy / that would have only put them and their families in more peril because we all know, the justice system "sucks" The RCMP would file the complaint , maybe even talk to the guy, but protect the individuals and their families, I doubt it.

You have to be frigging kidding me! I have seen a fair amount of biased reporting but this takes the cake. For you to present these two in a sympathetic light is ridiculous. You cast a shadow on the RCMP and everyone else invoved except the two under charge. Any rational person would have a very difficult time agreeing with the version of events presented in tonights program. I cannot for one minute believe that James Rosko, who professed his hate for authority would not have been ranting about the authorities and what he was going to do. He admitted lying on several occasions throughout this process to save himself; why would we believe him now. Rosko is dead and Hennesey can say whatever he wants. he even portrayed his brother in law as niaive so that he could discredit his confession.
You show Hennesey in an upset state and try to portray him as a victim here. That is far from the truth. He was sellng marijuana and knew what Rosko was up to. His story is truly unbelievable! Four RCMP officers who joined an honorable profession and who were in the legal execution of their duties were gunned down. Tonight's story did not have to be told at all. I am sure the familes of the RCMP members are jusrt as incensed as I am. At the very least you should have shown some journalistic ethics and done a balanced job of reporting the story. You completely stayed away from his Hennesey's brother in-law other to try to show that he was duped by the police who built a "circumstantial case". Letting Hennesey go on National television and tell his story, with a reporter aiding him to tell it, without questioning obvious inconsistencies, is tant amount to Hennesey doing an info-mercial. "unwittingly" became involved my arse. Shame on you all. Seldom have i been as angry as I am now. CBC has lost yet another viewer.

First, this entire event is a tragedy. All of the people involved are victims of one sort or another. But none so permanently as the four fallen officers and their families. Reference the interview, Linden MacIntyre unquestionably did a masterful job of minimizing the actions and responsibility of Hennessey and Cheeseman. By his own admission, Hennessey had ample opportunity to provide the police his version of events; to explain how it came to pass that he provided the weapon and the ride. When he didn't, the police stepped up their activities and used the undercover operation resulting in confirmation that these two men had assisted Roszco. It is not the police that these two men should be blaming for their current predicament. It was Roszco and it was their own lack of courage, principles and character.

Watching this made my blood boil. It gave me the impression that they want to stick anyone in jail just so that they can say someone is going to pay for these deaths.

In our community we have had something similar. Neighbours complaining to the RCMP about a drug house and grow op. There has no been a gun death associated with the house and still nothing is being done. Makes you really wonder if you should go to the police about anything.

I just watched collateral damage. I am absolutely heartsick. The justice system sure screwed Shawn Hennessey. What choice did Shawn have but to do what Roszko demanded? He obviously was not going to take no for an answer. Like one of the chief justices just said there are two legal systems in this country - one for the rich and one for the poor.

If Hennessey was selling marijuana for Roszko and he knew the guy was a convicted sex offender, I am glad he is going to jail for 15 years. Otherwise I feel bad for the guy.

Our justice system has failed...Shawn Hennessey and his brother in law do not deserve to be in jail...I sympathize with the RCMP families that lost there loved ones...I have a sibling that has been an RCMP for over 20 years...I wonder what the judge and prosecutor and would have done if Rosco came to there house with a gun??? The decision Shawn made was soley to protect his wife and 2 daughters...Yes, he should have called the police after he returned home, but he had good reason why he didn't....as far as I'm concerned, this is a joke...How can we, the public, trust our justice system???

I just finished watching Collateral Damage. Not only did Roszko take the lives of 4 police man he took the lives of Shawn Hennessey, his wife and girls and Dennis. I am outraged that in Canada we have a system in place that needs to find reason to place blame. Maybe Shawn did some illegal acts with selling from Roszko's grow-op but DEAR GOD he didn't have a hand in the murder of the police officers. Not to take away from the police officers family's and their loses but the police will protect their own. They will not take any blame in not protecting the men they sent out there without weapons or being briefed on what kind of criminal they were dealing with, INSTEAD our system points the blame at someone else. I am ashamed of the police force to allow another criminal act to take place by allowing two people to plead to a crime that wasn't committed. My prayers and support are with the Hennessey's and hope to god that you see the light of day sooner then the 15yr sentence.

I just finished watching Collateral Damage. I have watched your previous presentations on the murders of four RCMP officers and I suppose I should not have been surprised that you continue to slant the story to fit your ignorant pre-conceived notions. This is without a doubt the worst piece of "investigative journalism" I have ever seen. MacIntyre uses terms like "scapegoat", "circumstantial evidence" and "flimsy case to describe the charges of Manslaughter to which these two pieces of filth plead guilty. Too bad Mr. McIntyre - it turned out they were guilty and all of your inane babbling about whether or not Hennessey should have wrestled the gun from Roscoe's hands misses the point. They gave a murderer a gun, drove him to his farm, where he murdered 4 good men and then they lied about it. Did it ever occur to you that if he lied to the police, he just might be lying to a self-important idiot reporter.

I just spent the last hour crying with Christine as I watched your program and was finally able to learn the 'other side' of what happened that horrible night. I'm completely devastated. I live in Whitecourt and almost 4 years ago I wept for the families of the Fallen Four...now I'm weeping for the Hennessey children. Why were we not able to know these facts early enough to have been able to make a difference as a community? I would definately have rallied behind them!! I know for a fact...without even thinking about it...that I would have made that exact same decision Shawn made while facing the lunacy of that evil man! How in the hell could saving the lives of your family not outweigh the 'possibility' of saving others? It's ridiculous. The Mayerthorpe detachment couldn't even predict the incident, how could Shawn and Dennis?

Would it have made a difference if they had come forward that next day? I seriously doubt it. The Mounties were looking for scapegoats, which they found in these two young men. My husband just hit the nail on the head when he said "the police are only interested in catching the 'bad guys' if they're easy to catch."

This story is all too sad I believe this man... I believe he was frightened and its only sensible to believe that had he known this maniac was on his way to murdering 4 policemen he would have found a way to bow out of driving him home. No one.. no one would want to get involved with murdering 4 policeman. This hennessy man was not stupid. It seems such a shame 2 little girls that will be grown up by the time he is released. Is this justice? And I dont believe for one minute this
james person would have admitted to hennessy that he was on his way to murder 4 policemen, not at all. Im sad for all concerned.

We just finished watching this program. 3 hours before, we watched the Vancouver News where they reported about the multiple gang killings that are taking place in the city. The Police issued a plea for people to stay away from a certain family that they know are involved in terrible crimes and are on a hit list. Yet, they still walk the streets, live in their fancy condos and homes and commit crimes. There is something wrong here. My question is, would the penalty for this crime be as severe if it had been 4 members of the general public rather than 4 RCMP officers. What Mr. Hennessey did was wrong. His mistake was not calling the police as soon as he knew what had happened and he should not have lied to them, but does this make him guilty of Manslaughter? This is not just a travesty of justice but a travesty of common sense.

Four Mounties kill a new immigrant at YVR by Tasering him and they get off without any jail time. Someone needs to explain to me how this is not a double standard.

Good story.......finally we get the whole story but we all knew what was going on didn't we? So tell me; if someone shows up at my house threatening my family and I have to use deadly force will I not go to jail as well? Seems to me that Shawn Hennessey had no choice but to go along with James Roszko's requests and how was he to know the final outcome, even if he heard him say it? I mean how many times have you heard some idiot make some off the cuff comment like "I'm goin' kill that a##hole!"
Even the cops and the justice system never took this guy seriously. They kept letting him out of jail to assault someone else until finally he murdered four RCMP officers. Perhaps instead of sending two innocent (in my opinion) young men to prison for over a decade; we should be investigating the way our RCMP conduct their sting operations and entrap people so they have someone to convict when the whole situation was poorly handled from the very beginning. My hope is that the powers that be will have learned something from that tragic day in Mayerthrope and all the families of the victims; including the Hennesseys and Cheesemens will find some way to heal without the closure that they all so deserve.

When posed with the question of scapegoating, the police answer that there was no such thing since 'the men came forward with a confession' - but manipulating unreliable confessions out of people through a Mr. Big sting operation doesn't qualify as 'coming forward'. That the men were initially charged with capital murder is ludicrous. They made the mistake of not admitting immediately what they had done, but that mistake doesn't make them accomplices to murder.

I'm thankful we have the Fifth Estate to present us with an unbiased statement of facts. What happened to the four mounties and their families is tragic but what is happening to Hennessey and Cheeseman and their families is not justice served. All ordinary Canadians can see how easy it could be to become pawns not only of deviants like Roszko but also of the justice system which is meant to protect us from the Roszko's of the world. Why is it that when the mountie's actions are questioned, it's treated as an affront to their grieving families? They are no different from other victims of crime (other than that they are supposed to be fully trained to deal with criminals)so I believe it's an integral part of any crime investigation to see what transpired with both victims and the criminals that led up to the final confrontation. How can it be wrong to seek the truth and to make it public? Strangely enough I even felt reluctant to comment - the way this whole affair has been handled does not inspire confidence in our RCMP.

He is absolutely sitting where he deserves to be.Seems he actually got off quite easy

The police set these people up to cover their own stupidity. They sent 4 offerices there that they had not trained right. The taxpayer of this country have more thing to do with there money, than spend it too set people up. These are not the first people they set up as we have seen in many more of your shows.They RCMP can kill people in there jail cell and not be charged. One of there finist, shot a man in the park and no charges against them.I personally think that the RCMP should be dissabanded. Lois

Mr. Hennessey tries to portray himself as a victim but he is hardly that. He admits that he saw headlights on Roszko's property. That means that there were people there. He and his wife admit they were frightened of Roszko when he showed up with a pistol and coerced them to turn over the rifle. What did he think could happen to the people on Roszko's property? Even the so called "belief" that Roszko was just going to shoot the gas barrels and burn the hut down - what did he think would happen to the people on the property? And this whole crap about the suggestion that the only other option was to wrestle the gun from him - how about just calling police? Get on your cell phone and call police idiot. You have just armed a psycho and drove him to his property where people clearly are. After the murders, he lied to the investigators. He could have done the right thing right there and then. But he lied. He is a liar. I don't believe him at all. Hennessey is guilty and deserves to go to jail.

Funny how the RCMP charge people for crimes against the RCMP with little evidence but to put someone in jail, because the training is terrible they have to blame someone. When a RCMP officer gets charged with something it is kicked out of court not enough evidence or bad paper work, when everyone in the public knows they are guilty, they are let go. It is about time that someone investigated the RCMP very carefully and stop this sort of thing from happening. It happens all of the time, it makes me sick.

The RCMP handled this badly.These kids are scapgoats for a poorly handled jnvestigation.I feel for the families of the four who were mudered,but if they were watching this program I think they would say leave these kids alone.The RCMP in my mind have become bullys using unfair tactics to get people to confess.This is not justice

After watching this episode of the fifth estate, I found that there was conflict between stories published in news papers and the one presented on the show.

But if I could ask one question it would be that if both men saw the headlights and house lights at his farm, why after he had left their car and wasn't a danger to them or their family, did they not call the police? They feared for their own lives and the lives of their family but were unable to make a call and explain to police the situation that had arose and warn them of his Homicidal Behavior.

Many questions arise from Collateral Damage.

Who were the Senior RCMP Officers, in charge of the investigation?
Where are they, now?
Why were junior officers sent to the farm, after the marijuana was removed?
Did the RCMP have any outstanding warrants for ROSCO, on the day the truck was repossessed?
Is it common police policy to provide security for auto re-possession?
How could an officer be sent to a crime scene without being properly equipped?
What sort of effort was mounted to find Rosco, after the marijuana was found?
...
The program stated, and alluded to without substantiation, the defense attorneys pressuring their clients to accept the crown offer. Why? Did they, the defense lawyers, feel they would not be compensated? Has the Fifth Estate spoken with them, yet?

Is this a case, where lack of financial resource, created a miscarriage of justice?

Is deemed preeminence, you ought to know you, therefore you are guilty, of aiding and abetting, not akin to clairvoyance?

Mr Hennesy and Mr Cheeseman are victims of their own choices. They have taken responsibility for their actions. Perhaps too much.

Four deceased police officers are victims of choices and decisions of others. None of them have been held accountable, yet!

Is this a case of justice,law enforcement scapegoating, judicial coercion, or a systemic cover up of monumental police incompetence?

Troubling unresolved issues, all.

I am deeply disturbed by what I witnessed tonight.

It would be interesting to see the tape of the police interrogation with the brother-in-law. I could only imagine what took place. Where's the tape? That would shed a lot of light to this story.

I was broken down my an insurance company when a school bus ran a red light and t-boned me and landed one block away. Eventually I told my insurance adjuster that I made the accident up just so that I didn't have to deal with them anymore. I could only imagine what the cops were like when 4 of their own were shot dead. Where's the tape?

And...why did one of the officers not have a weapon? This makes no sense.

Please help me understand why Carla Homolka was only sentenced to 12 years and Shawn has been sentenced for 15 years? Again this makes no sense to me.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the officers who lost their lives.

My thoughts and prayers also go out to the Hennessey's. My heart breaks for Mrs. Hennessey and the children. A mistake was made by not telling the police about the gun and the ride home, but I can also understand how scared you would have been. I am not sure what I would have done in your situation.

what about the top cop? not much is said about him? james roszko was not much of a threat to the police??? yes before that very bad day,he was KNOWN (not as being a model citizen) many many arrests. if these two guys are guilty. what about the TOP COP??? sending rcmp out to guard the area,without HAVING james in jail first??? or knowing where he was! i find him(the top cop)just as guilty as james. i would like to see him FIRED not on paided stress leave.

The convicting of these two young men is the biggest travesty of justice I've have ever seen or heard of. After the Vancouver Airport horrific murdering of a Polish man who could not even speak English, I am feeling very sick about our national police force and our canadian justice system. It is broken badly broken and it must repaired. The tactic, "Mr Big" must be disallowed which is quite evident if you have watched the documentary by Taffney Burns on Super channel. The withholding of evidence from courts has put many innocent people in jail for many years in Canada as we have seen in the last couple years. It must be many times harder for an innocent person to go to jail than a guilty person. In my opinion this case was "vengeance" motivated and again the police got their men and another two young men will spend many years in jail for no crime committed.

I do not recall feeling more discouraged in our judical system because this documentary only shows once more how powerless the average citizen really is in Canada.

My decision as to what went wrong in the killing of 4 police officers was based on information that has surfaced through various channels since the incident. In my estimation the RCMP made some very serious blunders and rather than admit their mistakes in sending 4 newly recruited young men into an UNKNOWN ,situation have infact, relied on the one principle that has ruled this country: find a distraction and hope the problem goes away.

Tonight's Fifth Estate while an excellent program did not really give me any more information to alter my decison. Once more the mini-gods of our country have ruled.

Roscho was a very sick men who continues with the aid of accomplices to destroy lives and more importantly the very fabric this country was built on : a belief in the goodness of our justice system. This is indeed a sad day for Canada.

It seems to me that the only man that should have been held accountable for the death of the four RCMP officers died when he committed suicide, after murdering the 4 men who took jobs to uphold the law and to take care of the communities that they worked in.

Ruining the lives of others by participating in sting activities that seem as though they should be illegal, brings down the respect that we as a community have for the officers that we see as our protectors.

I fear officers have too much power. I hope that these Mr. Big sting operations are also made illegal in all of Canada. Let's have our officers operate with honor as we believe they should.

I didn't hold much hope that Mr. MacIntyre's editorial piece would be impartial. It was obvious from his leading questons, selective telling of the truth and the total omission of the statements agreed to by the now convicts and read in court, that he wasn't going to admit that he had been wrong in his earlier show's attempt to blame the victims of this tragedy. Mr. Hennessey was a drug dealer and stolen parts seller for James Roszko. Hennessey illegally gave Roszko a rifle that he himself had illegally from his grandfather, then drove him back to his farm to take revenge. He or his brother-in-law then didn't call the RCMP in the many hours before the ambush and then he and his family hid the truth for years.

I wonder why Mr. MacIntyre hates the police so much. Who is he going to call for help if he ever needs it? How much time did he actually spend investigating this case? He didn't spend much time in Barrhead as he doesn't even pronounce the name correctly.

My prayers go out to you Shawn, I knew you growing up and know that you will get through this. Keep your chin up and know that given the same circumstances, others would have done the same.

Why was the obvious question not asked - Why did you not call the police after dropping him off? Why did you not tell the police he had held a gun on you and had taken the rifle?
I don't understand why Mr. Hennessey didn't do the obvious if for no other reason than to protect his family from further intimidation.

All I can say is that our justice system is scary!! Here we have two men scared for their lives so they did what Rozko asked them to do. Or should I say demanded them while banishing a gun. What about all our RCMP who knew he was dangerous but never did anything to get him locked up. And what about the justice system who locked him up and then let him back out to terrorize the community!! I think there are more than these two innocent scared guys that should be locked up!! The system just used these guys to make themselves look good! If they really thought about it, they (the cops and the justice system) now look even more retarded!! And not the ones who died out there, they were innocent men just like Hennessey and Cheeseman. The ones who were not innocent were the cops and others who knew what Rozko was really like but sent innocent men to guard a place unaware of what they were up against!! They are the ones that are guilty of manslaughter!! Let Hennessey go home and raise his family and let Cheeseman free! I feel for their families!! And i feel for the families of the RCMP who lost their lives. But lets get real what would any of us do in this situation?? After all like his wife said Rozko was locked up before and let lose to terrorize again!! THE JUSTICE SYSTEM NEEDS TO PAY!!

I can't begin to tell you how disgusted I am with this so called justice system we have! Shawn Hennessey did what any person would have done in that kind of situation, to PROTECT his FAMILY and his own life!! If this would have been just any civilian, it would not have been nearly as investigated to the degree it was! But because they were RCMP, its different?? How is one person's life so much more important then anyone else's?? These innocent men were put in jail for a crime they didn't commit. There are cold hearted killers & pedophiles out there, that don't get this hard of a sentence, if anything!

If you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas. Shawn, do you know there is a child named after one of those young Mounties shot down? They had families too and there are some of us that remember them. You seem like a genuine young man but you made decisions that you will have to pay for the rest of your life..and so be it!

The problem is the judicial system. Rosco was convicted on several occasions for serious offences, and the judicial system let the general public down by not imposing the sentences set out in the criminal code which would have kept him in jail for years. The judicial system is broken. There is absolutely no accountability on our judges to impose the sentences set out in the criminal code for repeat or first time offenders.The next serious story would be to ask why repeat offenders,gang members, and sex offenders are do not receive the penalties set out in the criminal code, even though they have commited serious offences over and over. Historically over the last 20 years the judiciary has imposed more lenient sentences for repeat offenders and they are not accountable to the general public who pays the price for these criminal acts.

It disgusts me to no end that a so called professional reporter like Lynden MacIntyre can suggest that Mr. Hennessey and Mr. Cheesman did not obtain proper legal council because their families couldn't afford it. We should all know that our Canadian Justice system provides legal defence teams for people in these predicaments and to suggest that these people are going to prison because they didn't receive proper council is a travisty. The Fifth Estate and especially you Mr. MacIntyre should be ashamed of yourselves.

How utterly tragic for the Hennessey family. Clearly this man should not have been forced to plead guilty to anything. What is wrong with our justice system? There are hundreds of real criminals out on the streets and these two gentlemen will sit in jail for years for a crime they didn't committ. One has to wonder... if the people killed hadn't been police officers, would charges have even been laid?

Let me start by saying two things - First, I think that the sentence handed to Hennessey is excessive. Second, prior to seeing this program, I was of the mind that he was an innocent guy caught in an unfortunate circumstance.

However.....

After seeing his and his wife's testimony tonight, I think it is clear that he is not as innocent as his portrayal. If I knew that someone's grow operation was at risk of being discovered and that someone was asking me for firearms, I think the first thought that would come to mind mind would be "there are likely going to be police officers there and he probably wants the gun for protection". Needed the gun to puncture a fuel tank? Give me a break.

Even if that were the case, you have to know the police are going to trace the gun to you. Go to the police and explain your innocence!! They're going to catch you!

The position that this program took, trying to garner sympathy for a victim of the system was pathetic. I don't think the host could even bring him self to believe the blatant lies this rube was spewing.

If anyone thinks that he didn't realize the possibility of a shootout, than they are as dumb as Hennessey. 15 years seems like a lot, but he won't serve half of it and he definitely deserves something.

What a tragedy for Sean and his family. Not only does your heart go out to the brave RCMP officers and their families who are suffering, but for this family as well. What a senseless tragedy. It seems a terrible injustice was done to them. Their actions don't seem to justify their punishment. I wish all the families involved strength and eventual peace.

I really think that this story, needs to be kept in the lime light. There are more victims than the 4 RCMP.

I feel that these two guys are guilty of manslaughter, only because the victims were RCMP and the RCMP were doing the investigations and what ever else was was necessary to see that this was done.

I have always been very supportive of people who protect us such as the RCMP. This incident and the results has shattered my trust in this institution and even in the justice system.

I'm sure there is guilt on the part of the two involved, guilt in their conscience, not guilt that they can be held accountable for.

I found Mr MacIntyre' Interview with convicted fellon Shawn Hennesey to be very one sided. In otherwords, Mr MacIntyre , I expected harder and more challenging questions from you to Mr Hennessey, who knowingly, was aware of the sentence he would be receiving from the Judicial system the following day.

Mr Hennessey, with his placid response to many of the "gentle" questions posed by Mr MacIntyre , were somewhat general and minimal in nature and I believe done only to protect his personal interests...eg , Hennessey had no idea what Roscoe was about to do, nothwithstanding that Hennessey had provided Roscoe with a high powered rife..AND...drove him to the murder site.

Roscoe, as it was known, was a "cop hater", and was known to rant and threaten , and Hennessey confirmed that Roscoe said "nothing" along those lines in the vehicle as he was driven to the murder site . It is my understanding that Roscoe was in agitated state....and he said "Nothing"? Please ....

Roscoe had a Baretta in his hand when demanding that Hennessey provide him with his grandfather's high powered rifle.....Hennessey was "scared" so he ran and got the rifle ...(Mr Hennessey , if you were really scared , and felt that your family were at risk, any regular guy would have called the RCMP in an effort to protect them....you didn't. Give him the rife, if you feel it is the only way to protect your family...then..call the RCMP. The RCMP would have been there for you.

Further, Mr Hennessy admitted that he sold drugs on behalf of Roscoe. Mr. Hennessy worked in the car part business, but there was no ackowledgment that he was familiar of Roscoe's activities with stolen cars or car parts. My view is that Hennessey would have been very knowledgeable of all of Roscoe's illegal activites and capabilities. .....Again, Hennessey and Cheeseman didn't do a thing to help the innocent , and subsequently 4 innocent Members were murdered.

Hennessey and Cheeseman knew exactly what Roscoe was about to do..and did absolutely NOTHING . I am totally perplexed at this reaction. How can you live with yourselves ? Actions speak louder than your weak words.

Hennessey , you and your brother- in-law deserve everything you got and more....... the Judge was too kind to you. Our Judicial system is far too kind to criminals.....What about the victims ??

All it would have taken of Hennessey and Cheeseman, (how about Mrs Hennessey who was fully aware of the situation) was a simple call to the RCMP Detachment, to alert them of the possibility of danger to innocent people and that Lives might be in danger. Hennessey and Cheeseman , you CHOSE to do nothing. As a result, 4 brave RCMP members were murdered and ripped from their loving families forever.

Hennessey and Cheeseman , you deserve everything you got and more. The Judge, contrary to what the previous "commenter" has indicated was kind to you both. Consider yourselves lucky in that regard .

My sympathies are extended to the loved ones of the fallen RCMP Members . These 4 wonderful young men joined the RCMP to make a difference in their communities and they were robbed of the oppurtunity to do that ... They , and their families, will rest in my heart forever.

I feel that this story portrayed the Hennessey family as victims. What about the family of the fallen four the actual victims in this real life story? Why isn't CBC standing behind their Canadian Mounted Police Service. These men helped that man do the unthinkable, they assisted him and then lied to cover it up. They state they had no idea what that man was up too and felt fear. Where do ppl go when they fear harm of themselves or their family?? To the POLICE. Yes these men should have called in the threat and at least this would have given the RCMP heads up that James was back at the site, armed and in a rage. THIS would have saved those officers lives and kept hennessey out of jail!

I grieve for those families whom have lost their loved ones because these men didn't come forward immediately and warn police.

I feel sorry for the families that this story was aired tonight to portray hennessey and his brother in law as victims. It truly is a slap in the face to them from CBC.

Mr. Big Stings aren't allowed as evidence in the U.S., so why is it allowed in Canada? (entrapment) It was proven from your previous program "someone got away with murder".
If you commit murder in Canada you would spend less time in jail then these two received.
The police are looking to blame someone for their own mistakes. The police knew of all the problems they were having with Roszko and weren't prepared.
I hope Cheeseman & Hennessey appeal their sentence.
It is a terrible thing that has happened, I don't feel that Cheeseman & Hennessy should get off without any punishment, but I do feel that it is excessive for their part. The police were even intimidated & scared of Roszko.

Thank you CBC for fianlly allowing the country to hear the other side of this terrible story.
I truely feel for this young family. I don't beleive Mr. Hennessey or Mr. Cheeseman should have been charged with this crime. Maybe for obstruction of justice in not coming forth with information but they didn't pull the trigger nor were they even in the area at the time.
The killer is dead...four officers were taken from their families, trying to protect us from monters like Rosco.
Now , those who are trying to protect us, take a young father away from his children. How will putting these men in jail help? Does it make everyone feel better to blame someone? Anyone?
Yes, they made a mistake but if I were in their shoes and a man with a gun came to my home I would protect my family too.
I now understand why they took the plee bargain...I wouldn't trust the justice system either.
My prayers are with you all.

This is a perfect example of a broken judicial system. This tragedy possibly would never have occured if the sentencing that is set out in the criminal code for offences for criminals like Rosco were imposed upon conviction. The RCMP do their jobs by bringing these criminals into the courts and they repeatedly let them go. It is like a swinging door. There is no accountability for the judiciary to protect the public by imposing the sentences set out in the criminal code.As a result,years of leniency in sentencing have allowed the young offenders and serious habitual offender like Rosco to go free on repeated offences.
Possibly the next really important story is to ask the question"Why the juciary otake responsibilty and impose sentences set out in the criminal code, especially for repeat offenders. And why the government doesn't take a harder stance towards repeat offenders and change the laws starting with young offenders. And take the discretionary power away from the judiciary and impose mandatory sentences upon conviction for repeat offenders."

Thank You, Lindon MacIntyre for telling the whole story of Shaun Hennessey and Dennis Cheeseman. I really feel the RCMP in charge of Mayerthorpe & Whitecourt Detachment the night of March 2 & morning of March 3,2005 should have at least have a review of their orders to leave these young RCMP at Rosko's farm. They knew he would be armed and dangerous.
D. Hudson

I have now watched two fifth estate episodes regarding this sad story that took place in Mayerthorpe close to five years ago. I am disappointed with the slant Linden MacIntyre presents in these two documentaries. I have found both episodes suggest suspicion of the RCMP and question their motives. These two men committed a crime. They aided and abetted a criminal and there should be a consequence for their actions. They had choices - do not associate yourself with people who are not stable. Do not participate in illegal activities such as growing marijuana. Do not provide an unstable individual with a firearm. Do not assist this individual in returning to the farm in such an aggitated state. Do not hesistate in calling the police after you dropped him off at the farm. These two men had numerous opportunities to prevent this event from happening. They were put in a difficult position, but they had many options before them days and weeks before this event. They do need to accept some responsibility and it is the duty of the police to investigate and prosecute this illegal action.

I had the misfortune to watch tonight's program. In typical Fifth Estate/CBC fashion, the story was poorly done and very sloppy.

Why was it poor? Put simply: Linden MacIntyre and his band of merry men chose to take Shawn's version of events at face value and clearly had some sort of axe to grind with the RCMP. Hopefully, they will one day get their story straight.

The reality is this: 15 years for Mr. Hennessey is spot on. In other western democracies, he would have got more.

Lynden MacIntyre,

Very well played. Trying to make the canadian public feel sorry for HENNESSEY or CHEESEMAN? You and the CBC should be embarrassed.

These two gave ROSZKO a rifle, and a drive back to the hut. Knowing what he might or might not do is not the issue. Of course they could not see into the future. But these two knew what ROSZKO was capable of doing, and by giving him a rifle, granted not THE weapon used in the murders, they knew full well what ROSZKO was capable of doing.

This is a tragic event, and the two men need to face the consequences of their actions (drive and rifle) as well as their lack of action (not warning the police).

I think it is time that the liberal CBC needs to stand up for those who protect the country. When the wolves are at your front door, you might think otherwise....

"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." Winston CHURCHILL

SHAME ON THE RCMP AND OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM
As a Canadian citizen, how can I feel safe living in my country, where I can be put in jail for 15 years for protecting my family.
This is just a case of an incompitent police force who screwed up by knowing that Rosko was a very dangerous man and not treating him as such while guarding the quanset. So they had to 'spin' this case to rid there own guilt.
Cory

It is true that there is and will probably continue to be collateral damage from the actions of a single human. Although I have wondered from early on and still do why 4 officers all with such little experience and one totally unarmed were sent to deal with a situation(a large grow op)of this scope and to someones home that who well know by the RCMP as well as most of the community of Mayerthorpe, and what he could be capable of. Who is accountable for sending the four brave and very inexperienced men to what ultimatley was their death.

Why didn't the lawyers advise this young man of the manslaughter plea until all the money ran out? Now the young mother will lose her house, the children their home. The lawyer's are off to the bank! The Mounties have gotten someone to punish, since they couldn't do anything to Roscoe as a result of his suicide.

A comment was made that the Mounties did not know how dangerous Roscoe was. How could this be when, on an earlier edition of Fifth Estate, you carried the story about a Mountie who had been threatened by Roscoe. He so feared Roscoe that he kept a loaded gun at the house and had taught his young daughter to shoot it, with instruction that if Roscoe came on the property, she was to shoot first. You reported that he later moved out of the area because of the fear for his family's safety. Did he not share this with his fellow Mounties?

Shawn was also afraid for his family and they already knew that Roscoe always got out of jail when the local citizen's went to the police with a complaint. The person who had made the complaint then had an even bigger problem.

I do not believe in our legal system and it seems that justice is never done. You are not innocent until proven guilty. You must spend a fortune to prove you are innocent and wear the stain of having been accused of something until you die. It is a very sad comment to have to make, but the law makers and law enforcers have themselves to thank for the mess we are in today.

I was completely disgusted with this episode.

Is this what the law is about? I completely understand the Shawn's point when he mentioned "no faith in the justice system". It appears to me like 2 people are doing 12-15 years each for a "wrong place at the wrong time" situation. No crime. Is this Canada? ...please tell me.

Please add me to any mailing lists or groups pertaining to this. It's deeply disturbing.

jaredthomasmacdonald@hotmail.com

After watching this show I am having a hard time beliving that Mr. Hennessey was even sentenced. The R.C.M.P had the killer in jail at one time for offences that to me were worse than what the accussed actuslly did. I do grieve for the families of the fallen officers but if a crazed repeat offender with a gun came to your house what would you do?

Shawn Hennessey has lied for the past almost four years not only to the RCMP but to his community and friends and family. Why believe him now? As well, there was no mention in the CBC documentary that Dennis Cheeseman had, of his own free will, confessed to a colleague well before the RCMP began their investigation. Was that, as Hennessey puts it, also a "coerced" statement?

disgusting! right from the beginning the rcmp has had egg on their face. this is not, and has never been about a search for justice, this is only about trying to save face. a real success story for the force, lies deceipt and ultimate police power to try and cover up their mistake.

It is too bad that the whole story could not be told including all the blunder's that the police did from having officers that were not on duty at the farm to the over kill of arresting the 2 in barrhead. The rcmp were on a witch hunt to cover thier mistakes and use rambo tactics to arrest 2 non violent people. These men are a very low risk of offending anbody ever and police new that they never killed anybody but still went crazy in apprehending them. I beleive they have watched too meny american police shows and I for one do not want this kind of justice in my country. The 2 from barrhead were not innocent but they did not deserve a sentance they got, 2 yrs each would have been lots compared to the sentances people get that actually pull the trigger in other cases.

Hennessey put on a good show. His only option was to obey Roscoe or tackle him and put his family at risk. Let's blame the police for not acting at the time, for using sting tactics, etc.
Consider simple option - call the police - Roscoe just forced me to drive him and took my rifle. Had that call been made the police would have been on alert in the right area. Hennessey and his family would have been safe.
Let's face the facts. Hennessey made some bad decisions as did everyone that never helped police by being a witness against Roscoe. The bad guy wins again.

I found your "Collateral Damage" story on Shawn Hennessey interesting, though obviously cautious and tightly edited just before the sentencing. Would Shawn Hennessey's lawyer ever be willing to comment on this obvious crown strategy of overcharging Hennesy? Did the RCMP "Mr. Big" sting produce that much re. Hennessey? Your story left that somewhat unclear. Was one report of the total sting cost being in the millions, correct? I'm aware of one successful Brandon, Manitoba area sting where a murder suspect was informed he had won a free trip to Calgary. All the other winners were cops. The saga included a phony Mr. Big who wanted to know about past bad deeds as proof of membership worthiness. There was even a phony scene of male-female violence staged at a motel, complete with fake blood.

Before ANYONE comments on this storey they should read the STATEMENT OF AGREED FACTS ( Attached to this 5th web page) These are the FACTS that both accused and both Lawyers agreed to. Some things that HENNESEY failed to tell and Mr. McIntyre FAILED to ask were.
1. Hennesey wiped down the rifle of his prints- Why would he do that if ROSCO was just going to use it to shoot some oil barrells to burn down the building ??
2. Hennesey gave Rosco a Box of Ammo for this rifle.
3. Why did Hennesey drop Rosco off about 1 Km away from his farm, if he though no police were on the property?
Why not drop him off at his gate. Hennesey stated to 5 th estate " there was not much action going on at Rosco farm when he dropped him off" Not much- ( didnt say NO action) implys there was some action ( police) going on at Rosco farm. 4. CHEESEMAN gave ROSCO a white pillow case ( Camouflage), to carry the rifle ammo and
gloves. Read on for more stuff like the Hennesey family making up the storey that the rifle had been stolen.

Section 21 (1) of the Canada Criminal Code says:
"Everyone is a party to an offence who..
(b) does anything for the purpose of aiding any person to commit it( any Crime) or omits to do anything for the purpose of aiding any person to commit it( any crime) In this case they both "aided" and "omited to do anyting" therefore aiding ROSCO in committing 1 st degree Murder. It is clear ROSCO knew the RCMP were on his property- (several phone calls to his aunt) he needed the rifle for protection as the pistol he had had limited range through an open field. ROSCO still had the Hennesey rifle on his person when shot- although he did not yet get a chance to use it.

I assume Hennesey lawyer agreed to have the 5th estate
interview his client- Mr. McIntyre should have had the statement of FACTS and went through them one by one and put them to Hennesey.

Finally the 5 th estate again at the end blames the RCMP that they were not doing a massive all man all night search for ROSCO- for the big crime of stolen auto parts & grow operation. No supervisor who is accountable could justify such action/ expense. Is there a possibility that ROSCO might return and might be confrontational.. Yes. But again no evidence of that. The evidence of that was held by Hennesey & Cheeseman. The RCMP did let their guard down some what after being on a stake out all night and their replacement arriving, common complaciency done by most police officers. Lesseon learned I hope. Finally to suggest that one RCMP officer was not armed... true, but he was not on duty - plain clothes and had only driven the replacement officer to the scene. The CBC suggested that this was sloppy police work. I call it sloppy reporting by 5 th estate, slanting the storey instead of as to being non bias.

Mr.Hennessey is guilty of making some bad choices, but to have to plead guilty to manslaughter….unbelievable. Don’t the Mounties see that Roszko just made victims of another family!

Mr Hennesey is good at trying to minimalize his involvment with James Roszko, He may not have know that four mounties were going to be killed but I am damm sure he knew that something bad was going to go down that night. He lied to the police more than one time while being questioned about his involvment with Roszko, He sold Roszko's dope he gave roszko a rifle he gave him a ride back to near his place, sorry Mr Hennessey you are right where you belong.

Further to my previous submission - somehow cut off and "sent" re the Mayerthorpe - as portrayed on tonights Fifth Estate. They are:

.1 How does the CBC see fit to produce such mitigated crap?

.2 Having produced such crap - how do you sleep at night?

If this was a "public need to know" it might make an iota of sense - but it wasn't - it was a CBC carefully crafted and manipulated version of a tragedy - obviously designed to make one of the culprits look like an innocent hero - bloody garbage to say the least. I watched the entire show - mainly to see if there would b e some redeeming factor - but there was none.

Congratulations you idiots - you've show what you really are.

Then you put the note at the end that comments won't be posted until they "have been approved by a CBC moderator - one of the producers of that sick show I'm sure.

I doubt that you will "carefully read, consider and appreciate this.

What an awesome interview and I was glad I watched. The realization for this fellow of what could have been and how small missteps lead to catrosphe. The only flaw in his character was arrogantly stating he was protecting his family when he knowingly entered into drug transactions as a father of young children and not believing there would be accountability, in any sense of the matter, down the road.Protecting young children from Rozko is one thing, but did he not think as his children grew up that he would be protecting them from drug trafficers, such as himself? I am not sure either of these gents should be in jail for this length of time and seemingly, by this interview, they were a little misled by the interrogaters, their lawyer and such. And, I truly like the conclusion that if the community's own police underestimated Rozko, why can't they believe that these fellows did too. An evil soul created such a tragic circle involving so many people and I doubt the web has yet to be untangled. The only ray of hope from all of this mess is that somewhere, someone or others have learned from mistakes and can be used to avoid this kind of tragedy in the future. Good job with the interview and thank you CBC for looking into some dark alleys on this story, even if they were frowned upon. No one wants to see our police in bad publicity but sometimes all of the story has to be told.

What a heartbreaking story,and a pathetic justice system. Hopefully the judge and top ranking RCMP that condemned these two young men never have their sons put into that situation.Our hearts go out to all the families involved.

I just watched the 5th Estate, and I cannot believe you would air such a show.

It is total crap, with a supposed moderator/interviewer carefully leadfing Hennessey to say the things that make him look innocent.

It's like a cheap "D" grade movie - typifying the CBC ability and attitude it would appear.

I can believe thatg Linden MacIntyre would let himself be a part of it - much less manipulate Hednnessey the way he did - with the wife conveniently sniffling in the back-ground.

What are you people trying to do - make heroes out of someone who took an active part in the taking of 4 lives - of people you would expect to protect you in a dangerous time.

Hennessey's "story" was not told, the CBC'c carefully crafted and manipulated version of tragic events, with one of the culprits made to look like an innocent victim was aired.

I have two questions:

.1made to look like and innoc ent

We :d

If the justice system is willing to put Mr. Hennessey behind bars for 15 yrs, then they should double, sorry make that 4x the sentence for the supervisor(s) of those 4 mounties that died. I'm not sure if I believe all of what Mr. Hennessey said in his interview but the facts are what they are.. What Mr. Hennessey did was what anyone in his situation would of done.. If he would of tried to stop or shoot Mr. James Roszko he would mostlikely be sentenced to jail or be in danger/killed by Mr. Roszko.. One way or another Mr. Roszko was going to find a way to go home that night... This was a terrible incident that MR ROSZKO is to be blames for, not anyone else. My sympathies goes out to everyone involved.. Mr. Hennessey and his brother-in-lay shouldn't be behind bars because of poor policing procedures. Sorry I tell it like it is!

Canada has a judical system but not a justice system. So our judical system couldn't get to punish James Roszko so it went after Shawn & his brother in law. According to this case it's against the law to give someone a ride. If someone has a flat tire on my rode I dare not help him because he may go commit a crime & I would be responsible. It is horrible that 4 officers died, but dealing out massive punishment on two acquaintances of James Roszko is only done to show the public that the judical system has some power. It sure won't bring back the 4 officers.

That was the most scripted, orchestrated, piece of garbage journalism I have ever witnessed in my life. It was obvious that the only time anyone stepped out of script was when Christine Hennessey mentioned her brother being introduced to the "mob" friends.

Linden MacIntyre has absolutely no professionalism at all, referring to bogus charges, a purely circumstantial case, and the two men "unwittingly" assisting Roszko commit murder. These two knew exactly what Roszko was going to do. "Acquaintances"?, they sold weed for him for crying out loud.

If it was purely circumstantial, don't you think they would be taking it to trial? The the realm of justice, the prosecution does not lay charges of this magnitude unless they are positive they can obtain convictions. The prosecution also does not approach defence with plea bargains as Linden led Hennessey to suggest, it's the defence that asks for the prosecution if they will ACCEPT pleas to lesser charges. In this case, they likely offered guilty pleas to prosecution to prevent the gruesome details from being released to the public in a trial.

Make no mistake about it people...the program tonight was a one sided account, manipulated to pull at your heart strings. Linden coerced Hennessey to give him the answers he was looking for. I wrote to this website after the guilty pleas were entered, asking when they would be running this piece. I called it, and sure enough...here it is.

Why the CBC has taken this stance, I have absolutely no idea. Congratulations Linden, you have managed to glorify two men who assisted a cop killer. At the same time you have vilified the RCMP who no doubtedly worked tirelessly to catch these creeps, you have disgraced the memories of the four fallen officers whom you painted as the bad guys and you have totally ignored their families' respective responses to this outcome.

People, please don't be suckered in by this down right brutal journalism. Disgusting.

I don't expect the truth will make it past the moderator.

Once again, we are reminded that there are 2 sides to every story. Notwithstanding the tragic loss of 4 fine RCMP officers, i question the rationale behind the arrest and trial of Sean Hennessy and his brother-in-law. At the risk of being cynical, it seems to me that the RCMP needed to blame a 3rd party in order to shift the blame from themselves. Those in charge of the 4 deceased officers surely have to be held accountable to some degree.
I believe Sean Hennessy when he talks about his need to protect his family, his fear of Roscoe, and his ignorance of Roscoes intended plan.
The justice system has failed in this case. These two men should not be behind bars and i can only hope that there will be a review of this case. My heart goes out to all the families involved in this sad and tragic affair. But it doesnt negate the fact that Sean should be home with his wife and two children. I hope he will be soon, as long as people think deeply and thoughtfully of the facts of this case against them.

My heart goes out to Shawn and Christine. I cannot believe that they (the justice system) can feel good about their decision? Did they not have the facts or were they just looking for someone to blame? Its a joke! Enough damage has already been done now another family has to suffer. Sucks!!!!!

I echo your comments Glenn. I also wonder why James Roszko wasn't kept in jail in the first place? Is the judge that gave him that lenient sentence also not accountable? Had Roszko been kept behind bars, none of this ever would have happened.
Apparently in Canada, sexual assault against minors is never enough to keep any of these depraved animals in jail. James Roszko was a danger and a threat to children, with a rap sheet a mile long, and I for one am angry that I had no knowledge of his crimes, or his proximity to this town. He should have been declared a dangerous offender and kept away from the public. So shouldn't someone in our justice system be responsible for that?

Rather than discuss our outrage, why are we not banding together to help these young men. It seems to me that the police needed a "fall guy" because the "real perpetrator" killed himself. Losing the Mounties was a trajedy but scape goating others is a travesty of justice. Exactly who is going to help these young men get out of a system known for locking up victims for YEARS!!! Will Sean's girls' need to suffer without their father and uncle so that someone is blamed for losing these Mounties.....?

I want to extend my heartfelt sympathy to the families of the four Mounties brutally murdered by a madman. Seeing the footage on "The Fifth Estate" today gave me the same sick feeling as four years ago.
Having listened to Mr. McIntyre interview Shawn Hennessey, I can't help but feel that he and his brother in law Dennis Cheeseman have been sentenced unfairly. I realize the raw anger is still seething with the Mounties, police and the population of Mayerthorpe. But, blaming two men who weren't even there is shortsighted. Yes, Shawn gave him his grandfather's gun, but was he to know Roszko was planning to kill with it. Did Shawn or his brother-in-law have criminal records before this that one would assume they would go along with a scheme like that?
What was asked by Mr. McIntyre that was not answered was why, when the Mounties went in towards the shed were they not very wary of Roszko. Apparently, the police knew him as a dangerous, menacing individual who had most of the town terrified of him. The Mounties appeared to go in as lambs to the slaughter. One of the men was unarmed.
Once again I feel that Shawn and Dennis have been very harsely punished for being naieve, but hardly quilty of manslaughter. I do hope their advisers and the justice system can sleep well at night. It's a travesty.

I don't necessarily agree with the magnitude of the sentence. However, CBC has lost my viewership based on this program, for what was the least objective portrayal of a story possible.

It is my hope that CBC will wake up in the near future and realize the irrepairable damage they are doing to the public safety of this country.

Sorry, I have no sympathy for Hennesey or Cheeseman ...both were spineless men, taking the path of least resistance. All they had to do was call the police ... also, why were the townspeople allowing a bully like Roszco go around town the way he did? Why did they not put an end to his bullying? Typical Canadian behaviour on display here ... "as long it is not in my backyard, it is not my problem" ...

I have just watched the sorrowful show called *collateral damage*..and am horrified by the events that have led to Shawn Hennessey and his family.
Clearly, i believe that he had no knowledge of what James Roszko was about on that fateful day.
In listening to these two people during their intervies, i felt tears for the families of the mounties who died..but i also felt tears for the wife and their two litle girls and for Shawn..and his brotherinlaw. All were caught up in a situation they had no knowledge would escalate along as it did..or would take the turns that it did. I believe that Mr. Roszko was running a very thin line between sanity and insanity, that anything ..at any time could cause him to snap. When he arrived at the Hennessey home and Shawn's wife gave him the phone..i thought then that Mr. Roszko could have easily killed her and her two children. That he could have then went outside and just as easily killed her husband. If not at that moment, when he arrived back at their home with a gun in hand, he still could have killed Shawn Hennessey and then went after his wife and children. He could easily have taken the brotherinlaw and had him drive him where he wanted to go and shot him too. He could easily have shot both men once he exited the vehicle.
I can understand the system and how it can work against you when *they* decide *they* are in the right and you are in the wrong. They know better, they have been doing this job for years, or simply..they have to get their man and in some cases,they have to have their scapegoats to justify their own actions that could be labelled as *going too far*, or treating a person with little or no regard for being human..man, woman, young adult and so on.
I don't believe that either of those two young men had any knowledge of what was about to transpire that day or any time after. I believe Shawn Hennessey when he says he felt that James Roszko was intent on shooting a hole in those tanks to set fire to that building.
I believe his wife when she said a family could have been murdered that night. Sadly, they don't have chrystal balls to peer into that tells them that a man they know is about to invade their lives in a way that would changed their lives forever.
Her brother was taken advantage of by a woman doing undercover work. Obviously a person that had esteem problems and was overwelmed by the fact that this attractive woman was drawn to him. So of course he would do almost anything to show her he was the type of man she would want in her life. Control is easily gained with quiet insecure people. People who live in quiet regions with next to little or no chance of meeting new faces. I could visibly feel the pain that the three have endured.
I know their fear. I know that fear makes you react, respond and make choices that aren't clear and precise. One can always say after the fact, i should have done, i would have done, but no one knows for sure what they would have done till they live it.
Our laws feed on people that are innocent,they intimidate them to get what they want and at a high cost. Fear of losing their families and their very lives, the pressure that is placed upon their shoulders is incredibly torturing.And not fair, nor is it right.
I agree that there is good and bad and the law seeks out the wrongful doers in society..but, bullying, intimidation, constant questioning, watching your wife lying with her face on the ground and being pulled through the dirt. What of the children?..what could they have been exposed to and did it matter at the time?..Did anyone stop to think the harm it would do little girls to see their parents with guns to their heads, being stood upon,dragged..is that not abuse of a kind as well?..How do their actions make it alright to hurt innocence and take innocence away from them? Or from anyone for that matter?..
I don't believe they were given a *deal*..i don't believe they were guilty of capital murder nor manslaughter times four.
My heart goes out to the families of those slain officers but, Shawn Hennessey did not make Roszko do what he did. Neither did the brother. Something caused that man (Roszko) to snap and he did what he did and then shot himself.
He could have killed an entire family, the four officers before he did himself in.
I dont know what needs to be done to look further into this case of these two men, but i strongly feel it needs to be rectified.A great wrong has been done to them ..a great wrong was done to the four officers and the families they left behind but i don't believe that Shawn Hennessey, or his brother in law knew, plotted or planned with him..I believe the man solely responsible was James Roszko himself.
Thank you.

You know, with a guy at my door yeilding guns in each hand, and for the protection of my family, I would have done the same thing and driven Roszko home just to get him away from my property, or ran into a police car.

A few points and questions:
- ask yourself: how did Hennessey (or Roszko for that matter) know there would be forces at the farm some 15 hours after the intitial visit?
- When Hennessey dropped Roszko off about a mile away, he stated he could see one set of headlights, not many sets. For all he knew, that could have been anyone, not a full squad of our finest.
- For Hennessey to say, looking back, he should have tackled Roszko at the door....At the spur of the moment and not knowing the final outcome, would anyone do that?? Ask yourself!! I certainly wouldn't, you'd end up dead yourself, if not your entire family. I think that response is the result of a huge amount of pressure from questioning to the point where you do feel guilty for the outcome. Hennessey, at that point had no clue what the outcome of that evening would be.
- Hennessey, to me, appears and seems to be an honest young man with a loving family trying to survive. Why would he jeopardize his family's future by willingly walk into that situation knowing Roszko was going to murder Police Officers? I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have, that's an obsurd (and unprofessional) accusation. Would you knowingly do that??
- As past legal documents stated, the system did not find Roszko a terminal threat to officers. If they have dealt with him a few times in the past, they also knew him and did not deem him as a threat. How could the system pin what they failed to recognize on the 2 young men they sent to jail? Are the folks in the system not trained to recognize that threat? Should they not be at fault just as much, if not more for letting Roszko walk for past offences? How could they expect the young guys to recognize a potentially dangerous personal trait if the professionals couldn't?
- Giving the fact that some were not carrying weapons or were ill equipped, they couldn't have recognized him as a potential danger either. If some were not carrying weapons or were ill equipped, how could they protect their partners in a potentially dangerous situation? Are they not partially at fault for underestimating the situation?
- I feel terrible that four of our finest lost their lives that day, as does the rest of the Country but if the facts are as they were portrayed in tonights show, I feel for Hennessey and his family as well. The guy at fault was eliminated that day, but that's no reason for the system to pressure two mainly innocent people into pleading guilty just to have a sense of closure.
- The only valid arrests I see, based on the show, would be for trafficking (at worst), firearm offences, and not using his cell phone (when he dropped Roszko off) to contact Police, not sure how much that one is.

In any event, I certainly can't understand a charge of manslaughter.....The system should be ashamed!!!! I hope someone feels as guilty as they've made Hennessey and his brother in-law feel.

James Roszko committed another crime here...its called car jacking and he forced Shawn Hennessey and his brother in-law, with a gun, to do his bidding which was to drive him home.

The judge in this case is out to lunch. Shame on him for sentencing these guys to 12 and 15 years in prison.

Shawn and his brother-in-law did not kill those mounties.

The RCMP are trying to find closure in these 12 and 15 year sentences. Posing as mobsters to get a confession? How disturbing to think that this is happening in Canada. Keep up the excellent work Linden MacIntyre and the entire Fifth Estate team.

these two guys chose to hide out of fear,they had a small window of opportunity the next day to step forward,however,as the rcmp saying goes...we always get our man...this semms more like...we always set up our man..

I am appalled at this poor man's story. Because the mounties didn't do their job, someone else has to pay the price? I am very disgusted with Justice Eric Macklin for condemning an innocent man. Where is a lawyer to right this wrong? Why isn't the provincial government stepping in to help these poor guys? This is Canada!! Make this right!!!

The Hennessey's were not under oath to tell their "story". They can cry and appeal to our sympathies but I don't believe most of what came out of their mouths. Who pleads guilty when they are "innocent"? CBC tells a one-sided story as usual...

What good did it do, or purpose did it serve at this point, Mr. MacINTYRE, and company, to attempt to illicit public sympathy for the Hennesseys? What's done is done. They played their role, although not a lead one, and have to pay the price for it. Some would argue not enough, and some may argue that none is deserved. I do not wish share my opinion of this regard.

I am of the opinion however, that the coverage of the murders in this instance was done in a blatantly biased way, and constituted irresponsible media. I do not need to point these instances out and feel they are fairly obvious to a reasonable person watching your report.

This is my opinion. It truly frustrates me.

With the conclusion of this trial, blame can now be cast here and there, as is generally the case in most tragedies, onto whoever the media feels will garnish the most viewers to their special reports. In this instance, according to the report, the RCMP bears more burden of fault than those who helped perpetrate the crime.

Let this one be. Do not make pleas for sympathy. Do not minimize these deaths. Be objective. Seek and report the TRUTH. Not obvious fabrication, and insincere remorse, Mr. MacINTYRE. Failure to do so not only further subjects these families and the public to the heinous loss of these four Members, but reduces the credibility of your nationally respected employer.

Thank you.

Nice sob story. I feel so bad for him... What was he going to say? I knowingly helped in the murder of four police officers! You gave him the perfect platform to tug at the heartstrings of Canadians who are too ignorant to know when they are being played. Doesn't really matter now, he is in jail after HE PLED GUILTY.

I am appalled at the conduct of the Mounties in this case. The events of that night were tragic, but the witch-hunt of Shawn Hennessey and his brother-in-law are only compounding the tradgedy. It’s fairly obvious that Hennessey used bad judgement in dealing pot for James Roszko, and for that he should be punished. But to hold him responsible for Roszko’s murderous actions is unconscionable. And the treachery that the RCMP displayed in dealing with the other young man is completely dispicable. An inquiry should be made into the RCMP’s conduct in this case, including the sloppy way that the Roszko bust was attempted on that night. This seems to be more of a coverup of the police’s own inadequacies and misjudments than anything else. This case needs to be overturned in the name of justice.

What a joke of a justice system sentencing these young guys to such an unbelievable time in jail, as if they haven't suffered enough already for their involvement with Roszko.

What is the purpose of this punishment? I hope there will be a public outcry. Let these guys go back to their families. I really felt the pain of Mr.Hennessey and his wife.

After watching Collateral Damage this is just another
example of the way the RCMP conduct themselves like a ramboo police force.
They coerce and harrass persons until they admit they
are guilty. Shawn Hennessey, should not be charged with manslaugher. He was just another innocent party being harassed by James Roszko. The RCMP was aware of James Roszko. Why was he allowed to terrorize a neighbourhood. As Canadian citizens we need to speak up against this type of action. Two young men have their lives destroyed and we only hear about it after the fact. Was this case tried in a court of law? How do these things happen? I am thoroughly disgusted with our legal system.

Initially I felt that Shawn Hennessey and
Dennis Cheeseman were the victims of a justice system gone amuck however after listening to Mr. Hennessey's story, they are both victims of their own poor, bad, horrific choices in the days leading and following the deaths of the four RCMP Officers. Shawn claims they really didn't know James Roszko but then say they were afraid of him because he had been to jail and released several times and therefore just wanted him to go away. Mr. Hennessey may not have known Roszko was going to kill but he did give him the weapon that he used to commit the murders.
It is a tragic story. I believe that senior RCMP Officers should be held accountable for their poor, bad and horrific choices made in the days, weeks and months leading up to the deaths of Constables Leo Johnston, Peter Schiemann, Brock Myrol and Anthony Gordon. That being the real tragedy.

This story saddens me deeply! So many victims on so many levels! One man has damaged the lives of so many families! I am devastated by the loss of the police officers and I grieve for their families but I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would think that destroying the lives and families of 2 more young men will help the grieving families of these officers. Yes, they were naïve, yes, they didn’t do things that in hind sight we can all see they should have done but fear makes us do or not do many things we should. Who among us has not agreed to things on embellish our past to fit into or impress our peers. Had James Roszko survived and the police had a live person to convict would these young men have received the same fate. I pray for all of the families and most of all for Shawn’s wife and little girls the truly innocent victims of this tragedy. I pray that someone somewhere will see that this incarceration service no purpose or justice and that Shawn will be home with his family sooner rather than later. This is where he is needed most!

Linden MacIntyre once again does his best to try to make anyone who is dealing with some level of "authority" appear to be "a victim". The tough questions were never asked, e.g. what part of the grow-op was Sean Hennessey's, was he involved in the "chop shop", "why did you feel it necessary to not come forward after you knew he was dead and couldn't hurt you?" As much as he comes on as a poor victim of James Rosko, Hennessey and Cheeseman both chose to get involved. Hennessey comes across as someone who was definitely involved and more knowledgeable than he admits. MacIntyre's attempt to lay some of the blame on the police with his references to them not begin armed adequately is disgusting, and an attempt to take some of the guilt off Hennessey. That's nonsense. Information has been put on the record that these guys knew what was going to happen, aided a criminal in his attempts to engage in criminal activity, and then "hid out" in the hopes that they would not get caught. Rather disgusting human being. And to top it all off, he did plead guilty to manslaughter, mainly to get off a greater sentence which he probably deserved. He got what he justly deserved, and perhaps should have received more time in jail. These people were not and are not victims. They were participants in one of the most savage murders in Canadian law enforcement history.

A sad sad sorry story....but what about the two young boys involvment in a "criminal organization" and culpability in "other criminal" offences. Does anyone remember the guilty by association lecture and accountability for our actions speeches!
A very disappointing and another one sided/biased production against the RCMP. Justice is due for the deceased officers and their families and now some Justice is served!

How nice to see the R.C.M.P finaly got their men..to bad they didn't work that hard to keep Jim in jail..ah hell we'll wait till he kill's somebody then we'll blame it on someone else.Idiot's.
The only people that should be in jail are the people that knew what Jim was capable of doing..what a gong show..oh well two young guy's they got lot's of life ahead of them...when they get out.
Mr.Big...another joke,you wouldn't think those kind of tactics would even be allowed in canada.
I've known Jim all my life..unfortunately we're related,he's been a nut case since he was fourteen,everybody including the R.C.M.P knew that yet everybody was so shocked when this happened...he hated cop's most of his life.He's dead that's good,four R.C.M.P officers that knew next to nothing about Jim are dead because they were not told what Jim was capable of doing by their superior's..and who's to blame two young guy's..yes they should be punished for a bad judgement call but I would bet my life they did not know what Jim was planning to do that morning.I just hope that this injustice isn't just swept under the carpet like everything else in this country.

I too watched tonights show and my heart goes out to all the families involved. I believed the Hennessey's as they told there story. They appeared sincere, not staged and their story was believable. I have read the documents outlining the reasons for the judges decision.(judges statements) 19/01/2008. While I confess not to know much about the law it seems that manslaughter, as it is defined, needed to be applied in this case. After time served Shawn will serve 10 yrs 4.5 months. That would make his chilren approx 18 and 15 upon his release. I feel the sentence was too long. Shawn wasn't there when the murders happened and I believe he wasn't aware of an intention for them to happen. What a tragedy all the way around. My heart goes out to the RCMP families and the family of Shawn. May the strength and love you have from eachother get you through these years ahead.

If its true that the RCMP spent over 2 million dollars on this ridiculous 'sting' to bring charges against these guys, I'm appalled at the blatant waste and misuse of taxpayer dollars, but I'd far prefer they dropped it than pursue murder or manslaughter charges against these two men.

But two million dollars later, these two men now know the lengths the 'justice' system will go to to make sure somebody pays for these murders, and that they clearly don't care that the only person responsible is already dead.

It must seem like deja vu to Hennessey and Cheeseman - once again they're in a position where they go along with the bully because they're too scared of what will happen if they don't. Only this time, its the justice system taking them for a ride.

Unfortunately they don't have 2 million dollars to spend in their own defense. I'm sure they'd never plead guilty if they had unlimited resources to fight these ridiculous charges.

I'm amazed. Hennessey and Cheeseman just got sentenced to good, lengthy sentences, as the evidence indicated they so richly deserved. But the Fifth Estate seems to think they deserve another "trial" by public opinion. "Cast aside the months of investigation and trial, we'll present the case to the public in a 20 minute piece", says the Fifth Estate in choosing to interview accomplises (at the very least) to a multiple murder of police officers.

Why didn't they alert the authorities? Why is the version they give to the Fifth Estate different than their confessions? Why, why, why?

Worst of all, why does our public affairs program devote time to criminals when they might better look at the effects these actions have had on the community of Meyerthorpe, and most tragically, the families and loved ones of those dead officers. Get your priorities straight.

It's been said that, if you ask the prisoners, there's not one guilty man in prison, let alone a remorseful one. Hennessey seems no exception. I'll save my compassion for people whose innocence is unquestioned - the victims of this crime.

The tragic death of any on-duty police officer MUST be resolved,regardless of inconvenience and cost, in order to preserve the very trust placed upon them to ensure the safety of all.It does not mean that everyone who had contact with the murderer is guilty of any wrongdoing.In the case of Shawn Hennessey, he did what ANY loving husband and father would do....he removed the potential threat of harm away from his loved ones by offering to take Rozsko to another distant location. At no time was there any conspiracy to kill any mounties. Mr. Hennessey and Mr. Cheeseman were anxious to get rid of Rozsko and return to their loved ones, probably afraid for their own safety.While it may,or may not be an offence to lend a rifle, it does not mean there was any prior knowledge that it might be used in a crime.To convict them of manslaughter is a miscarriage of justice, even when a guilty plea was financially induced.In fact...any lawyer that would let his client accept a guilty plea when the evidence is so weak should re-examine why he became a lawyer in the first place (probably for the money).

I think the convictions are wrong...anyone who watched this program has to agree that Shawn Henneseay is innocent and should not be convicted. I am an aunt of a new RCMP officer and I know I would not want innocent people and their families included as a part of this terrible crime the way Shawn and his family have been.
This show made me angry,sad,helpless and hopeless because I know in my heart of hearts I can't change a damb thing.

Hello,
In all my years watching TV I have never seen an investigative reporter give such a one sided report.Mr Macintyre should be ashamed of himself. I guess he just can't admit his previous program where he seemed to indicate Cheeseman and Hennessey were not involved was wrong. A first year law student could have punched all kinds of holes in Hennessey's story. Obviously Hennessey and Roszko were involved in the pot grow he was ready to admit that to you. So, he didn't want anyone at Roszko's place either. Why do you need the rifle TO burn down the hut(make a hole in a barrel) when he had a 9mm in his belt. Totally not credible.If he couldn't afford his present lawyer he would have been provided with a legal aid lawyer and if he had gone their with a gun pointed to his head as he claims he would have been found not guilty.The Crown would have to prove quilt. I rarely heard such nonsense by a supposedly objective reporter.Hennessey probably didn't know that Roszko was going to necessarily kill the Mounties but,he certainly knew he was up to no good.You need to give all Canadian's an apology for this slanted story.

Linden, you should be ashamed of yourself. It is obvious you have sympathy for the devil. These guys had the opportunity to report to the police what had just happened at their place, and don't forget Hennessy knew there was trouble at Roscoe's farm.

Shouldn't the RCMP be taking some of the responsibility for what took place? They knew how dangerous Roszko was, why send in four inexperience officers to deal with this. Seems they over looked Roszko unstableness and are now trying to put most of the onus on the two young men. We have a very sad justice system.

JUSTICE system??? What justtice system. This is HORRIFIC. If anyone is at fault it is the RCMP and our justice system...these are the criminals. This Hennessey fellow maybe did some things wrong, BUT the RCMP long since this incident KNEW what Rosco was like. Good god...he threatened an RCMP officers son on the way home from school !!! Now I would like to know what happened to that officer??? The one that was interviewed right after this happened. What happened to him?? Did the "Justice system" shut him up....put a gag order to him?? Or did they sent him to the other end of the country ?? I want to see another interview with HIM !!! It is very sad that this happened to four officers. Would there have been a "sting" if it was Hennessey and his family that were found that morning with there heads blown off ?? NO. And the RCMP turned a blind eye to Rosco in the past. So they are the criminals. 15 years this man has to pay so the RCMP can say they did something. THAT is horrific...THAT is criminal. Someone like rosco gets away with harrassment and torture to young kids for years and then he gets out of prison to do it all over again. Hennessy needs to be set free, so his wife and kids can have their husband and father. THAT would be justice. He has already learned his lesson and paid his price. Now set him free. And the RCMP needs to grow up and take RESPONSIBILITY for their own incompitence in dealing with rosco. And all the other rosco's out there in society. This injustice is horrific and the RCMP is only trying to shove their guilt and incompitence off on this an who was protecting his family the best way he knew how. Because we already know that the RCMP and our justice system would NOT have protected them. This is painfully discusting. I have lost a great deal of respect for our justice system. My greatest sympathies go out to the Hennessey family as well as the families of the fallen officers. Our justice system needs to step up to the plate and grow some mature balls.

Our justice system will once again put 2 innocent men behind bars and then pay out millions in 10 years to try to right the wrong! They never learn from past mistakes. My heart goes out to the 2 innocent men tricked into pleading guilty...guilty of what?
thanks, Anne

It's always interesting that the bad guys always paint themselves with such an innocent brush, both got what they deserved and should have gotten more. It's time we stop feeling sorry for those without the moral fortitude to do what's right. It's also interesting that what he (Hennessey) said on the show so differed from the agreed statement of facts entered into court but that the fifth estate didn't feel the need to add this to the end of their interview as a wrap up to the story, too bad once again the true facts don't get fully disclosed by the media but only the side that makes good tv. And of course spur debate !

First off as a Canadian citizen my heart goes out to the family members of the mounties that were killed.

After just watching Mr. Hennessey's story of the events on March 2005 I'm appalled of the justice system in Canada. How can someone convict 2 men for 15 and 12 years for 4 counts of manslaughter when they were not even in the vicinity at the time or day of the shootings? To say that Mr. Hennessey was guilty because he provided a gun and a ride is a crock also, when the guns that were used in the crime was not even his. So could someone please answer me this, If someone borrowed my car and decided to take my car and use it as a weapon and run someone down and kill them does that mean that I'm guilty too? The laws of this country need to be changed so that the true criminals do the time and not the innocent, Mrs Hennessey my dear keep your chin up your husband seems like a wonderful man

I watched this episode with deep concern for Shawn, his family and step brother. I look at this occupational accident and try to make sense of it. The loss in the case was of course the mounties, however I am really concerned to find out that one of them while on site was not armed. When they go through depot training I am presuming they are trained on how to react/deal in situations like this. I am not sure I have heard of RCMP investigations so intent of finding out how this man got back to his own property. He already had a criminal record which should have set off red flags somewhere with somebody. I really think the chain of command for the RCMP constables that lost thier lives in this case really did not support the safey aspects and now have to look for the gapping hole it left on their organization. If Shawn simply drove this man home, with or without his grandfathers rifle (he already had a hand gun)in fear for his family and himself and distanced himself from the situation was at that time the best thing he could have done. Now instead of four families having to suffer for this we can add in Shawn's family and his step brother.

It's a shame if Hennessey and his brother in law have to have their lives and families ruined by the 'justice' system as well as the police officers' families. He made a few mistakes along the way, but by no means deserves prison time, and should not have been forced to plead guilty to the crime. They are no threat to anyone, let them go free. They have already paid enough as it is.

I am so terribly disgusted with our justice system right now.  Two people are sitting in jail for years because of something that psycho James Roszko did.  I feel for the families whose loved ones were lost that horrible day.  But I also feel for the Hennessey and Cheeseman families who have now lost theirs.  Roszko should not have been on the streets to begin with.  If the justice system had worked (which obviously it doesn't), he would have been rotting in jail and this tragedy would never have taken place.  And obviously the police should have taken more precautions before sending 4 rookies out to confront a known cop hater.  The blame lies more there than it does with Shawn and Dennis. 

Clearly these two fellows had inferior legal counsel. Is it too late to get them more proficient lawyers and appeal their sentences based on what they claim actually happened, as opposed to what the police trumped up?

It was hard to watch this without gaging. Mr. Hennessey is a criminal who knew what he was getting into but now it's all about saving face. The emotion he showed was as phoney as any bad actor. I hope he is miseable everyday in jail as he misses his family, at least he has a family to head back to when he gets out, unlike the four Mounties he and his spineless brother-in-law helped have executed that sad day.

All I can say is the Royal Crooked Mounted Police , I can see why this honest young fellow somehow got involved in such a tragedous incident , plain and simple , he was implicated in a crime in which he did not commit , much as was I , when one time the crooked cops came to my place of employment and had me arrested for a B&E which I was completely uninvolved in , after investigated ended up being the son of our district chief who had committed the crime and robbed his own house, what compensation have I had and how much time served by that delinquent.

Why is it when a Mountie murders someone, ie. the Const. at pincher creek who was a known drunk hater shoots a civilian in the cell, once in the head and once in the torso, and got what 7 years maybe. Yet if your a citizen that was not at the scene and you didnt even pull the trigger, gets 15 years!! Come on justice Eric Macklin WAKE UP and BE FAIR!!

I remember the day the officers went down. I also remember that he who did it, was dead. Justice served. I can not believe that these two men are being held accountable. The system is looking to blame someone for their mistakes on that day and these men are easy targets.Roszko showed up with a gun demanding a ride and gun - whatever he with gun wants - I would not hesitate. Obviously the scene was not secure if Roszko shows up and is able to take over 4 officers. The RCMP should be held accountable for the deaths of their own people. I hope the men have great lawyers and will see this decision overturned.

I just saw the 5 estate documentary on the james roszko killings and Iam appalled.How these two young men could be so terrified by a police force looking for scape coats
is beyond belief.My regard for the rcmp has dropped to zero during the last few years.The vancouver airport fiasco
is another example of a police force in serious decline.
All Canadians should be ashamed by such dangerous behavior
by a national police force.

That is just So Wrong...The murderer gets away because he cowardly kills himself and this young man pays...You can tell; at least I can, he and his wife are telling the TRUTH. It's scary that this can happen. It is horrific that four RCMP officers lost their lives. No worst crime in my opinion and theres. Men and women protecting us should never be harmed in the line of duty. When you listen to their whole story..It could have happened to many of us small town, law abiding, nieve citizens. He has admitted his wrong ie: his involvement in pot but look around who hasn't. Olympic atheltes to politians. Just because you are munipulated and threaten by a sycopath doesn't mean you agree. I think that's what you call a victim. And ufortunately we rely on lawyers advise but who else should we even when we know it's wrong. Sadly Jan

It is amazing all we heard in the media that these young men were the sinister accomplices of James Roszko and to find out that they we duped by Roszko as much as the commanding officer of the slain memebers. I understand the family's need for their pound of flesh and since Roszko denied them of it, then along with those young men, the commanding officer of the RCMP should be also held for aiding the tragic outcome.

The documentary confirmed my belief that the two young men were lynched by the RCMP and the Canadian unjustise system. Can you imagine how safe our country would be if the same resources were put into catching and punishing gangs, molesters, murderers and cops who pull the trigger and taser to death unarmed defenceless people as they do young men who may or may not have known what Rosko would do. What responsibility do they hold for Rosko's actions and how responsible are the courts who new his danger but allowed him free to do as he pleased. Maybe the last judge to release him should spend 10 years in jail.

I have been very disappointed in the sentence these two young men recieved for their involvment or lack there of for the incident at mayerthorpe. Its very unfortunate that Mr Hennessey and Mr Cheeseman didnt have access to competent lawyers. This has always reminded me of an old fashion witch hunt and public hanging. The RCMP continue to shatter the image i once had for them.

I am absolutly appaled by this story, I find myself woundering if the indivials that were killed were not police officers, would this head hunt have went this far, I have lost all faith in the justice system. Why should 2 young men be sitting in jail right now???
Is it just because they need to have someone there???
The outcome of this all is that 2 more lives and families were ruined, the people responible for this sould be ashamed of them selves and the police also should be...

The folks who have convicted Shawn and his brother in law should be held accountable for their actions - breaking up a family and ruining the lives of two men. This is absolutely shameful and embarrassing. I would have done exactly what this guy did if Rosko showed up at my door with a gun and told me what to do. Does that make me a murderer? It seems to me that this is an overreaction from the Mounties on the killing of their own. If there was a multiple murder of civilians in Toronto, do you think they would spend all the time and resources in setting up elaborate stings to catch people who gave the accused a ride at gunpoint? Never.

Thank you for the informed background on this infamous situation. After watching these events and listening to another side of the story, it is more confusing now to really know what is truth. The recent tasering of the man in the Vancouver airport throws question of police actions; this confirms the question of justice in much the same way. What is right here? As a Canadian citizen I am confused about what to believe in terms of our justice system. I do believe in honesty and truth and I do believe in justice for wrong doing. I'm just not so sure that the conclusions can be clearly drawn here.

It may be of interest to note that I have an real awareness of the Roszko situation, having grown up in the area. I am angry that a madman was not properly dealt with long ago. I do not in anyway take a position in this; and I certainly do not agree with some of the actions that Hennessy and Cheeseman have taken in the past,but my perspective leads me to believe that some prevention sure could have changed the direction of this tragedy.

Lets all take a closer look at what we stand for as a Canadian society.

I don't understand why this man is serving more time in prison than many many other cases where there is intent to commit murder in cold blood...yes, he shouldn't have given this man his rifle even though he did not understand what was going on, but since when is this the same as commiting the crime...he needs a better lawyer, as just because he feels guilty he gave he rifle this does not mean he commited the crime, especially when the man asking for it had a gun and had threatened them before...get a better lawyer as it is not worth losing your family and life over. They are looking for scapegoats, when the RCMP themselves knew what was going on and did not even have this man in custody as they are searching his premises??? Makes no sense to me especially when they knew he was not stable, what were they thinking, I think they should feel guilty for their lack of insight into this situation, as they are the trained professionals..

WOW I just watchted the fifth estate. I followed this and remembered this in the news back in 2005.

Very sad it ended like this. 15 years and 12 years in jail. I wish it would of went in another direction, why did the police stay at his place for 15 hours, why weren't they out looking for this person? So many unanswered questions.

Someone that has 2 guns and has issues and you drive them somewhere, you are asking for trouble.

If it was someone else with a simple drug issue the police would have been on the news and a WANTED sign would of been sent out everywhere to capture this person.

Just.. it's a crazy story I am amazed.

I hope this is the last opportunity Hennessey has to rationalize his role in the deaths of four Peace Officers. I can only surmise that at the time of this production Mr. MacIntyre did not have access to the Agreed Statement of Facts and/or the Judge's Rationale. Cheeseman made an admission to an independent source long before the RCMP sting, Hennessey made an admission himself indicating he knew what was going to happen, and went so far as to put a gag order on to Cheeseman. This one sided, bias, journalism insults all educated Canadians. I must also express my concern over Mr. MacIntyre's overt vendetta with the RCMP. To insinuate that RCMP management chose not to prepare for ROSZKO's violent tendencies due to fiscal restraint is ludicrous. I for one, am proud that I can raise my family in a Country which is based on the fundamental goodness of people. If we were to live in a Country where Police Officers had to, not only be aware of, but treat every situation as a threat to life, the freedom we share would cease to exist. I hoped to see an honorable Mr. MacIntyre ask the tough questions, and correct the garbage he filmed in 'Bad Day in Barrhead'; instead Mr. MacIntyre sold his soul for an exclusive, offering HENNESSEY a medium to spew more lies. I feel terrible for the family HENNESSEY is abandoning, but not nearly as bad as I feel for the families who lost Four Heros thanks to HENNESSEY'S self serving -cowardice. Mr. MacIntyre stop re-victimizing the family, friends and supporters of those Four Fallen Mounties with your one sided, fictions conspiracy ridden, rendition of this tragedy,

The RCMP needed to convict someone of the crime. The murderer had committed suicide, but the RCMP was determined to convict a guilty party. They have now ruined two young lives. Let's restore their lives, as we cannot restore the live of MR. Dziekanski, tasered at Vancouver airport, another wonderful RCMP investigation. I now understand where the comment "the RCMP always get there man" comes from.

I can truly say I'm ashamed to be a Canadian. The RCMP has proven to be bullies and liars, and again have convicted innocent people. Their Mr. Big stings and spy novel antics are embarassing to say the least. Why was it neccesary to find someone to blame? My heart bleeds for these wrongly comnvicted, they did not deserve this. Is there no justice???? The families of the slain officers should step up and speak out, this is ridiculous.

It was a sad day in our country when those 4 men were gunned down in cold blood. But what is happening to these two men is an embarrassment to our country, and a travesty of justice. These men had absolutely nothing to do with the murder of these 4 police officers. Since when do we get jailed for not knowing what someone else is planing to do, just because we are associated with them? Why did the police not consider him a deadly threat when he was known to the police? Why did they not know what was going to happen? Why do they think these two men should have known if they didn't?
This "Mr Big" sting is not allowed in the USA, yet we are doing it here, jailing innocent people with this "travesty" called justice. As they did with the man from Newfoundland that was excused of killing a young German couple several decades ago visiting B.C. using the same "Mr Big" sting.
I understand that justice needs to be served, but NOT ON THE BACKS OF THE INNOCENT. This man did what anyone else would have done, protect is family. And for that he sits in prison?? Someone PLEASE EXPLAIN this to me.

"unwitting role"? Is this the kind of language used for unbiased new reporting. I think not. Very disappointing work. Not impressed.

I have always had the utmost respect for the RCMP. I have lost all confidence in them. Shawn Hennessey has showed more honor than our justice system.

I sincerely hope that anyone watching this program uses their own common sense when forming an opinion. It would take me hours to comment on everything that is fundamentally flawed about the story told by the two men Cheeseman and Hennessey. That is not to say that I don't believe some of their story, but the foremost issue in my mind is why they did not call police either before driving an angry Rosko to his farm with a loaded rifle(kindly provided by Hennesey)or shortly thereafter. This follow up by the Fifth Estate seems to me to be an attempt to legitimize their first flawed program in the face of contrary evidence.

At the end of the day the police can say that they have protected us by putting away these two dangerous criminals but I would think that if every member would for a moment become Shawn Hennessey, with his background, that they too would have taken the same reluctant, frightened approach.

With all due respect to the slain officers and their families, it will be interesting to compare the justice following the death of four professional police officers by one deranged man to that of one confused man (Robert Dziekanski) by four professional police officers.

I was deeply saddened tonight as I watched Fifth Estate on cbc. For two young men to spend 12 & 15 years behind bars for a crime they didn't commmit. I truly think shawn is telling the truth about how he was afraid of what might happen to his family. With wife and two small children he could have easily come back as he stated when he wasn't home. What is wrong with our justice system. I think I would have reacted the same way if someone came to my door with a gun, I would have done maybe the same thing to get rid of them.

So, do you only allow posts that incite anger against other posters or do you read very slowly? This was as slanted as "journalism" ever gets - you know it.

For a seemingly reputable news program I was aboslutely disgusted at this one sided attempt to portray this murderer and his wife as hapless victims of James Roscoe and even worse the RCMP's use of investigative techniques as entrapping that poor young boy into a confession of guilt .The fact they were involved in a large scale marijuana grow operation and continuously lied to the police when given many opportunities to help themselves is glossed over as less important as the quivering lip and crocodile tears of poor Mr.Hennesey -Shame on You and this editorialized crap passed off as an unbiased news piece - this will be the last time I watch this show.

Why were the supervisors of the 4 mounties slain in Mayerthorpe never brought up on charges? It seems to me, that they were also responsible for sending the 4 young men to their death by not ensuring they were properly attired and equipped to do the job.

Wow, what shoddy journalism! The CBC should be ashamed of themselves for broadcasting such rubbish. Typical CBC though, picking one side of the story and putting their left wing, anti police spin on it. Lyndon MacIntyre referring to the RCMP gaining a conviction on "half baked confessions" disgusts me. There was obviously more to the story; but hey, we wouldn't expect Macintyre to wait another day, attend court, and include the agreed statement of facts in his coverage. Unwitting involvement? What does that mean? Let's see, James Rosko drives an hour,shows up on your doorstep, and claims he needs a gun to shoot a couple barrels of fuel to set his marihuana grow on fire. RIGHT! The CBC's portrayal of a coward like Mr. Hennessy as some poor pawn is sickening. You reap what you sow. I hope they do every day of their sentences. God love those poor boys who died trying to keep the community safe and protecting our rights.

I just finished watching tonights show and can't for the life of me understand how they could convict Shawn Hennessey in this matter.
It makes sense to me how a person would do exactly what he did to keep a dangerous person away from his family.
Shawn is a victim in this too. I did miss the part about his brother-in-law's story but expect he was drawn into this without really knowing what was going on.
If the laws in our country worked as they should Mr.Roszko would have been locked up years ago. Roszko was the one that murdered the Mounties and now these poor souls have to suffer for it.

I believe the truth lies somewhere in between what we heard tonight from Hennessey, and what he swore to in court.

He leaves out many details, such as the fact that he summoned Cheeseman to come with him to drive Roszko home, that when Cheeseman arrived - Roszko and Hennessey were chatting in the kitchen and that Shawn had made soup for his guest (not quite the confrontation at the front door that was presented tonight) that he wiped down the rifle, and that Cheeseman wanted to call the police and warn them, but Hennessey wouldn't let him. If this "family man" was so concerned about a gun-toting maniac - why did he leave his wife & children alone the following morning while Roszko was still at large to attend a meeting in the city? 9-1-1 calls are anonymous - Roszko would never have known who turned him in. And it's laughable that Hennessey thought Roszko was merely going to shoot a fuel tank to burn down the quonset. That only works in the movies. Plus - Roszko didn't request a book of matches - he needed guns.

When there are several RCMP officers at your grow-op and you prowl through the field in the dark to ambush them - and you have guns with you --- the intent is quite clear.

Also - it was not the prosecution side who made the offer for a plea. I've watched this case closely, and my heart goes out to the officers' families. In this case - justice was served.

Scapegoats. That poor family. Complete Injustice.

I am outraged at the failure of Law Enforcement (R.C.M.P.)and the Judicial System in the Shawn Hennessey story: Collateral Damage. Although I studied some law, I am not a lawyer but the "Sting" on his brother in law, Dennis, sounds like a case of "Entrapment". And saying, "we knew" about the intentions of James Roszko to undercover sting officers doesn't mean it's fact. He could have simply been doped up, trying to impress someone how tough he was, to trying to represent himself as someone he wasn't. But the biggest travesty of our judicial system is to have acknowledged this case as a murder/manslaughter case instead of a case of illegally loaning a firearm to Roszko and for trafficing marijuanna. Shawn Hennessey's lawyer sounds like an idiot. Why would he even consider talking a plea bargain with the crown considering how flimsy their case was. The crowns case is strewn with gaping holes of speculation and circumstancial evidence. I personally will try to raise public opinion and petitions if I have to, to get the court of appeals to overturn this ludicrous waste of lives, manpower and taxpayers monies against a man who was trying to protect his family from a maniac and the inadequacy of the justice system who failed miserably in putting a criminal like Roszko in jail. May God Bless you, Shawn, Dennis and Family and may he grant you true justice in a system and organization that prides themselves on:"We always get our man", even if they ARE innocent! My heart goes out to the families of the fallen officers but don't tag more pain and suffering on the other innocents in this story: Shawn, his wife and children and Dennis.

I observed the episode, Collateral Damage and feel that Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Cheeseman are the authors of their own demise. The emotional out pouring of remorse, is too little, too late.
I have confidence in the police investigation and our court system. The picture proposed by Linden MacIntyre that they were pressured by the Police, Crown, courts and their own defense team to plead guilty is journalistic hog wash. Defense lawyers, when you consider the seriousness and magnitude of these tragic murders,would certainly be well versed in law would not just cop a plea to a bad deal.
It was also alluded that because of financhial reasons, they didn't want to fight any further. Nonsense, even his own legal team could advise, that legal aid would be available, and again, because of the serious nature of the charges, good lawyers would of been provided. Shawn Hennessey himself summed it up. He just wanted to get it over with. This was the best deal they could get.
The mistake that Shawn Hennessey made, was when he drove James Roscko back to his property armed with a rifle and a hand gun, as a citizen, he should of realized there was a potential for violence. He himself said it, he was upset, I wanted to be rid of him and when he was gone, he didn't care. Wheither he knew there was Police Officers there or only balliffis, there was potential for someone to be seriously hurt.They knew Roszko was upset. He and Cheeseman had plenty of time to notify police. They could of easily went and informed someone.
I am disappointed in the overall presentation of this story. Linden MacIntyre in the first series interfview, was very harh on the police under cover sting, the so called MR BIG making it out to be a bad technique for lack of Police work. The reality is, it is a good police tactic that has been successfully used to prosecute the hard to get criminals in our courts. The courts have also done their job and by interpreting evidence, determining when the technique was acceptably used or not. I feel in this case, it was. In this second story,Linden never refered to it being a poor technique this time, Thats because that it was properly used, it provided the necessary evidence leading to these convictions.
Regarding Linden MacIntyre interviewing skills, he asked a lot of leading questions to Shawn Hennessey and his wife. How can you get any true version of events if you keep suggesting feelings, courses of action, suggesting answers. Half of what was asked would be
inadmissible in court. Also, I would think the actual conversations, which are now public record should of been partially presented, perhaps, this would be more factual.
Shawn Hennessey and Dennis Cheeseman got what they deserved.
Perhaps Linden MacIntyre should weld the journalistic power he has more carefully, as it has a great influnce on the general Public. Even the police sometimes have to say, I was wrong.

I'm not sure that was Mr Hennessey's story; it sounded alot like McIntyre's version of what Mr Hennessey's story should be. It's hard to believe that such a consistantly anti-establishment "journalist" is paid by the establishment.

God help us innocent victims if the RCMP want to get you. Yes they always get there man but is it the right one or the one they want to punish? How do the powers that be, (in the justice system) make a decision with information and evidence that was a obvious sting operation to get someone punished for a crime that the RCMP could have prevented had they followed the evidence that was allready in their files...Mr. Hennessey and his brother in law are obvious fall guy's, as well as their families...What is going to happen in Vancouver....

I would like to see a picture of both the defendents as they looked when the charges were under investigation. Let's not forget that Hennessey was involved with the pot operation, and had a good reason for helping Roszko. All of their statements of remorse hold no water four years after the event. For those people who think the RCMP were underhanded in their sting operation, please don't forget that these two were under suspicion from the very beginning, and had a lot of time to own up to their part. If only criminals would answer yes when they're questioned, and take the bullet for the pot operation. Would have been much better than a manslaughter conviction. Their defence lawyers would have never recommended that they accept a plea if the evidence wasn't so strong that an acquittal wasn't in the works.

This story showed the sorry state that our justice system is. As well as the RCMP and the DA's office. How these two guys could even be charged with capital murder is beyond me. Protecting your family from an armed gunman by driving him away from your home does not seem like murder, or even a crime. I am confused and totally not so proud to be Canadian tonight. Justice has to be done in this case. I feel sympathy for the families of the 4 officers that were gunned down in cold blood and outrage and sympathy for the Hennessey family. Maybe The Fifth Estate could now do a story with the RCMP officers, the DA and all others involved in this atrocity that has happened.

The reason these boys have been sentenced to such ridiculous amounts of time in prison for nothing more than bad judgment is quite simple.

4 horsemen are dead. The guy who killed them are dead.

The RCMP need closure to this event (read: they need to avenge their dead). The guilty man is already dead.

Enter 2 boys who have been deemed by the RCMP as "bad boys" because A. They had associated with the guy that killed their coworkers and B. They were involved in selling weed.

Ergo, in the simple mind of a cop. "These two deserve whatever they get - and we'll make sure they get it."

So, that's what the police did. They know that the Mr. Big sting does not prove guilt, or innocence. It is used to coerce a suspect into hanging themselves because the police have deemed him guilty without a trial. With a coerced confession in a situation that only a human with the integrity of a saint himself could resist, they can lay that out as evidence to put the final nail in the coffin. A confession as evidence.

Through experience I will tell you that once (usually) more than one police officer has decided you are a "bad guy". NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING will change their mind. By the way, last time I checked nowhere in the civilized world, Canada included, is the policeman the judge and jury!

Often, it is merely the fact that your brother or father is a convicted criminal that makes YOU a likely bad guy too as you are part of a "bad" family.

Seriously.

It's that simple.

Been there done that.

This is no different.

I'm sorry but I've just seen too much BS in my world and that kid on this show was just plain telling the truth. I've been lied to by harder men than him and I can catch their BS. I doubt this kid could put one over on Mr. McIntyre who's been digging for the truth since before Shawn was even a sparkle in his Daddy's eye.

I honestly do NOT know what that judge was thinking.

If I was in Shawn's place, I likely would have done EXACTLY what he did. Including wiping down the rifle which proves he has some intelligence, not that his guilt!

This was a kangaroo court nothing more, nothing less.

These two boys are scapegoats even if they are not the most upstanding citizens.

I watched the show-collateral damage- and was sick to my stomach that both Shawn and the other young fellow were actually convicted-mind you by a court system that is controlled by jucges, police lawyers and crown prosecutors. I feel no remorse for the four RCMP officers that met their end on the farm controlled by a demented ex-convict. The RCMP and the courts needed a scape-goat for the unprofessional way they dealt with their dilema. One RCMP officer was just two weeks old with the police force and i'm sure he was all gung ho to make his first bust. The RCMP knew what James Rosco was all about with his lengthy criminal record but were themselves gung ho to make the front page of the local newspaper of another bust that was going to make the news. Well they did indeed make the news and I personallly blame incompetence as the major factor in this case. Shawn and the other young fellow should be sitting at home with their families and getting on with their lives. The waste of tax payers dollars trying to find something to pin on these two young men was I imagine plenty and for what- so that they the RCMP would cover up their faults and the sloppy way this whole case was handled. You can read all the reports time and time again and of course the RCMP want to come out looking as if they indeed are the good guys. The courts,RCMP, news media and the legal profession leave a bad taste in my mouth for the coverage of this whole story and now two young men have been torn from their families because of a plea deal-you call this justice or should it be titled a MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE. We are slowly becoming a police state and this should somehow be addressed but once again most are blind and would feel bullied by the legal system to stand and say what they really believe.

These guys are not guilty at all and the cops just wanted someone to blame . I have lost so much respect for the rcmp that it sickens me . These two men should be set free now and the rcmp charged with the lying on this case. I can just imagine what they went through and this a clear case of the cops using their pressure to get a conviction. DIRTY COPS DIRTY COPS I know some cases in my own province where they did wrong and they wisked away the officers so they can retain their image. The only image I have of them is when they took down that polish guy with a taser. They are out of hand and here again is another misuse of justice or should I say what Justise.

He lied to the police 3 times and he's telling the truth now?

You have to be kidding. You guys will publish any story for the sensationalism. "SORRY", the only thing that drug dealer is sorry about is getting caught! The fifth estate should be ashamed of itself for even airing this. Shame on you, I feel so bad for the families of those mounties.

Wow, what a story. It was so sad, and unbelievable to hear of the deaths of the 4 RCMP officer in 2005. It seems like in this country we do not try to do anything constructive with our grief; instead we search to blame an innocent family who made wrong decisions. Who has not looked back and wondered how they could have handled a situation differently. It is difficult to believe that his wife and 2 children will suffer because a crazy man decided to go on a rampage.
simply it all boils down to the fact that we are allowing the individual who shot dead 4 men take even more people and families with him also.

The justice system, Time for someone to rattle the chains of the high powers that are sitting on the bench.
How do these people sleep at night with some of there decisions that are made. From listening to the story of Mr.Hennessey, I ask why should he be sitting in jail now for 15 years? Someone please help me understand.
Doesn't make any sense to me, but does the justice system ever?

I think your story was horrible you make the guilty appear as victims. Wow who knew it someone might actually lie to the police. Shawn Hennessey should be ashamed to lie like that on National television but not as ashamed as the CBC should be to have aired such a storey. I am no criminal but if I were to start a fire I wouldn't use a gun to shoot a gas tank, and If someone came to my house with a gun and pointed it at me and threatened me I would get my gun and prevent this from happening instead of giving him my gun. I hope no one that watched this actually believes this nonsense.