FOR many years I had been opposed to the death penalty because innocent people like David Milgaard were wrongfully convicted of murder and spent the best years of their lives in prison before finally being exonerated.
Indeed, Milgaard spent 23 years in jail thanks to lazy, incompetent cops and a disgraceful bureaucratic and justice system. There have been many other wrongful imprisonment cases in Canada – and in the United States.
But after the horrific murder of three RCMP officers Constables Fabrice Georges Gevaudan, 45, Dave Joseph Ross, 32, and Douglas James Larche, 40, (see photos) in Moncton, New Brunswick, allegedly by Justin Bourque, 24, last week on Wednesday, I have changed my mind.
Bourque was arrested shortly after midnight on Friday and has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. Thank God, the two Mounties who were wounded – Constables Darlene Gaudin and Constable Eric Dubois – were said to be recovering well.
Of course, Bourque has yet to be convicted. However, in cases where it is so clear who a killer is and there is not an iota of doubt about it, I suggest that the killer should receive the death penalty – ESPECIALLY when it involves a police officer.
And I am not saying this just because my father was a police officer also.
I am stating this with absolute conviction that it is VITAL to send a loud and clear message that those who serve to protect the public, risking their lives day in and day out, MUST be given proper respect.
Police officers represent the law that is there for our protection. A physical attack on them, especially a murderous one, is an attack on the very foundation of our democracy.
I know there are rogue cops and I have no sympathy for such scumbags – I have attacked them several times in my write-ups – or even for police unions that automatically try to protect them even when they are fully aware of their criminal actions that undermine the police’s credibility with the public. But fortunately, there are just a few of them and we have a robust media to expose them.
This is supposed to be Canada and we cannot tolerate people going about gunning down others because of real or imagined grievances. The rule of law is important to safeguard us all.
Even IF a person has mental issues, we cannot jeopardize the safety of innocent citizens and such a person, if not awarded the death penalty, should be sentenced to life in prison with NO chance of ever being released.