Most of you in the US have probably never heard of Robert Latimer. He was convicted in 1997 of the 1993 murder of his severely disabled daughter. He originally received a second-degree murder conviction: to serve 10 years to life before parole. This week, he'll be paroled after serving only 7 years.
Robert Latimer gassed his 12 yr. old daughter who suffered from severe cerebral palsy, in his truck in a garage or shed on his farm while his wife took their other children to church. His defence was that he had to end her suffering and this seemed to be the most humane way to do it.
Originally, his bid for parole was rejected by the National Parole Board, but he's won an appeal of that decision, based on the theory that "he poses no risk to reoffend". Well, la de da. Of course he doesn't pose any risk to reoffend. He has no other handicapped children to gas in his shed. He's been ordered to "stay away from any handicapped children". If ever I've lost faith in our justice system, this is the time. How frivolous! How ridiculous! He poses no risk to "reoffend". Gag.
We've let murdering rapists out on parole...why not child killers? Because that's what he is, whether you want to get wrapped in the debate on mercy killing or not. He murdered his own child, and he knew what he was doing at the time. He planned it, his wife knew about it, and heaven only knows how they explained it to their other children.
I'm ashamed of the Canadian justice system in this case. His lawyer is looking for a "bed" in an Ottawa half-way house. I wonder how his housemates will view him?
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