Courts/Legal/Police

Recently, there has been two significant changes to the victim's surcharge people pay if they're convicted of a crime. First, the fees were doubled. More significantly, the fines have been made mandatory, that means judges no longer have the discretion to waive the fine if they feel it would cause undue hardship for the offender.

The judiciary has been speaking out against the change, including PEI Provincial Court Judge Jeff Lantz. For another perspective I spoke with Trish Cheverie. She's a legal aid lawyer based out of Summerside.

The drunk driver who killed a tourist from Alberta this summer has been sentenced to six years in prison. Clarence Arnold Moase of Kensington killed Elizabeth Sovis when he hit her with the van he was driving. Sovis was cycling on the Island at the time. Moase had four prior drunk driving convictions. Brian Higgins talked with defense lawyer Michael Drake and with crown attorney John MacMillan today.