There is a clever ad on TV right now that exploits our seeming preoccupation with crime as a source of entertainment. The ad begins with a high speed chase, the kind made familiar by countless TV shows and movies. A van load of criminals is fleeing several police cars. The criminals are still wearing their masks and have a large bag of money on the floor between them as the van screams through narrow city streets. The punch line...
If you want a true test of a person's character, you should look at them when they're down. After all, everyone looks good at the top of their game. But how do they handle themselves when they have to do something really difficult, like admit they're wrong and make amends? Applying that character test to the Nova Scotia justice system shows some disappointing results. This week we're learning the story of Gerry Barton. More than 40 years ago, the...
I spend a lot of time in Nova Scotia courtrooms. Usually, I come away with a pretty good story. Too often -- more times than I care to count -- the case I'm following is derailed. You can usually see the signs in the moments before proceedings get underway: the lawyers huddle at the side of the courtroom. Then they approach the court clerk and the three of them consult tablets and datebooks. They're looking for the next available spot...
Going to youth court can be a pretty depressing experience, especially if you're a parent.You don't have to be a parent of one of the accused; if you've got kids, it's just sad to see how a life can spiral out of control at such a young age.One of the worst words for me to hear in youth court is the word breach. It's legal jargon, short-hand for breach of conditions. It means that person has already been given...
Sometimes, a guilty conscience can get you in more trouble than you were in to begin with.Take this recent warning from Nova Scotia RCMP.Four people in Pictou County, and one in Amherst received an official-looking notice from the RCMP. They had apparently illegally down-loaded music or movies and were being fined $100.The notices had either the RCMP logo at the top, or an image of a police car.First of all, I have never come across a police agency that...
