Russell Williams charged in 2 x murders, confinement, sexual assault.

[OldSolduer]

The disclosure that he had souvenirs from his break in spree is not unusual. Its common among serial offenders that they collect such souvenirs to relive the moments. You just have to read a few books written by John Douglas or Robert Ressler to acquire that knowledge.
He is what the profilers call an "organized" offender. He left few clues, but got careless, or perhaps thought he could outsmart the authorities. Ted Bundy was caught, and so were a few others. John Wayne Gacy kept his "souvenirs" in the crawlspace of his house.
Charles Ng (caught in Calgary shoplifting by a mall security dude) had a partner who kidnapped and tortured their victims prior to killing them.
What do all the neighbours say when a serial killer is caught? "He seemed to be a very nice (quiet, resepctful) guy, but a bit odd".

 

[Retired AF Guy]

Hey Thuc,  yeah man! I totally agree that is what lazy cops do to clear their reports. I mean it must be a way for those investigators to make more overtime to justify their existence.  I mean how busy can a Tweed area detachment be?..... :stop:

Before making a generalization and posting to the world the ignorance of your statement, read up on serial crime and review a thing called VICLAS http://sascwr.org/resources/pdfs/Legal/ViCLAS%20is%20the%20Violent%20Crime%20Linkage%20Analysis%20System.pdf

According to the link you provided, ViCLAS is a "system designed to capture, collate and compare crimes of violence." (My emphasis). In other words it wouldn't be used to track break and entry cases like the ones Williams is accused of. And yes, sometimes cops take the easy route. If you have been paying attention to the news you know that a major drug case in northern Ontario is in jeopardy because a senior RCMP officer faked a memo. However, in this case the fact that the Williams kept his "souveniors" is probably what the police are basing their case on.

 

[OldSolduer]

And if I read the previous posts correctly, he catalogued his souvenirs with Date/Time groups, locations etc.
I would like to be the proverbial "fly on the wall" during some O gps with various police agencies!!

 

[mariomike]

The disclosure that he had souvenirs from his break in spree is not unusual. Its common among serial offenders that they collect such souvenirs to relive the moments. You just have to read a few books written by John Douglas or Robert Ressler to acquire that knowledge.

Here is one such example.:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Glatman

Note that they executed him in the gas chamber within one year of his arrest!

"Signature Killers" by Dr. Robert Keppel:
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/predators/glatman/4b.html

Glatman:
"He willingly confessed to the other three murders and eventually led the police to a toolbox containing pictures of the victims which he had taken."

Mr. Williams:
Christie Blatchford reported, "Sources say that he photographed the murders and sexual attacks. His computer, once examined by forensic specialists, is expected to yield what one source called "a treasure trove" of evidence."

 

[Retired AF Guy]

And if I read the previous posts correctly, he catalogued his souvenirs with Date/Time groups, locations etc.
I would like to be the proverbial "fly on the wall" during some O gps with various police agencies!!

Nothing makes a cops job easier then a bad guy who keeps notes on his crimes! But, this begs the question: Where did he keep his souvdenirs and how did he hide them from his wife? Inquiring minds would like to know.

 

[ballz]

They also report, "The automatic penalty for multiple first-degree murder convictions is life imprisonment with no chance of parole for at least 25 years."

I just read up on it a bit (I had previously thought he was being charged with 2nd degree), and it seems to me Canada has the most back-asswards law in the world for this.

First 2nd degree murder is Life, 10-25 before you're eligible for parole, and your second 2nd degree murder is an automatic Life without the change of parole for 25 years. So at least you get more for committing 2, or

For 1st degree murder, it appears to make no difference.... 1, 2, 5, 10... your guaranteed Life with no parole for 25 years. No way to even change it to 30, 40 years, etc, without the dangerous offender status. Since, as Zipperhead has explained to me, the sentences always seem to be served concurrently... After 1 murder, more murders, the sexual assaults, break-ins, confinement, etc, etc, don't mean diddly squat to his sentence unless it can be used to apply the dangerous offender status....

So, like Zipperhead was saying... I sure hope they haven't bargained with him to not get the dangerous offender status or something. That would be sickening.

 

[mariomike]

The Globe and Mail went on to say:
" (With a single conviction, the inmate can seek to make a parole application at the 15-year mark, under the so-called faint hope clause.) In this instance, however, sources familiar with the case say Col. Williams’s motivation to expedite matters is threefold: The evidence is overwhelming; he wants to minimize the anguish of his wife, Mary Elizabeth Harriman; and he sees little point in accumulating large legal bills."

Re: Dangerous Offender / Canada:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangerous_offender#Canada

 

[Sparkplugs]

..... and he sees little point in accumulating large legal bills....

Guess he's trying to save money for when he gets to pay back the buttloads of Col. pay?  :nod:

 

[ballz]

I read about the faint hope clause but I don't think he'd have a shot in the dark at it, considering some of the things they consider.

Wiki tells me that the abolishing of the faint hope clause had passed in the House and was waiting to be approved by the Senate when parliament was prorogued... So there's a chance it won't exist when the Colonol's 15 year mark comes around, if we're lucky anyway.

Check the "Current Status" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faint_hope_clause#cite_note-1

 

[kratz]

All speculation in mind, even if the government passes the loss of the "faint hope clause", the government would have legal issues if they attempted to make it retroactive.
So, if he pleads guilty now and is convicted before any government legislation, he'd still be about 72 years old when he gets outt.

 

[Retired AF Guy]

I read that inmates who work get about $7.00 a day:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/todays-paper/Dock+prison+wages+victims+report/2741986/story.html

That depends on whether the institution he's at has a work program and whether he would qualify for the program (usually an inmate has to have been at an institution for sometime and be considered a non-risk to be considered eligable). Even then, the starting wage for inmates is about a $1.60 a day.

 

[mariomike]

That depends on whether the institution he's at has a work program and whether he would qualify for the program (usually an inmate has to have been at an institution for sometime and be considered a non-risk to be considered eligable). Even then, the starting wage for inmates is about a $1.60 a day.

As we know, even if they do not find suitable paid employment for him in custody, Mr. Williams will be receiving a pension. But, won't be able to enjoy it for a long time, if ever.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

As much as I deride the Canadian justice system most have it wrong [as far as I have been taught]......at least in Canada 'life' can actually mean life, although with the * [caution, personal opinion rant] * pathetic parole board system we have who's job it is to save the Govt. money, letting everyone and their dogs out early, life very seldom means life......but it can.
That's why we don't see the 400 year sentences like in the US.

 

[zipperhead_cop]

Didn't check the link, but just as an FYI, ViCLAS can track weird sexual stuff too.  Panty thiefs would certainly be logged in it. 

On the other hand you could be considered mentally incompetent and placed in a mental facility for the rest of your life. However, its unlikely that Williams would be considered mentally incompetent.

It was my guess that is what he was angling for with the BS suicide bids.  However, despondant in his situation and criminally not responsible are two different things.  Someone probably took the time to explain that to him and that is why he has stopped acting like a donkey.  Or he really does want to kill himself and knows that won't be allowed to happen until he is serving his sentence. 

Question for those of you who know the CF pension/benefit system; if Williams kills himself after he is convicted would his pension go to his widow? 

I read about the faint hope clause but I don't think he'd have a shot in the dark at it, considering some of the things they consider.

The "Faint" hope clause gets about 80% of murderers out early.  Not terribly faint  :  That's why there is a motion to get rid of it. 

 

[the 48th regulator]

The "Faint" hope clause gets about 80% of murderers out early.  Not terribly faint  :  That's why there is a motion to get rid of it.

http://www.npb-cnlc.gc.ca/infocntr/factsh/parole_stats-eng.shtml#15

15. Number of offenders who have had a judicial review (Section 745 Criminal Code – also known as the Faint Hope Clause)
As of October 18, 2009, 1,023 offenders were deemed eligible to apply for a judicial review. Of those eligible, there were 174 court decisions of which 144 became eligible for earlier parole. Of these, 85 were granted parole.

Source: NPB Statistics

Uhm,

Where did you get your stats?  It is 8% of the total of people, ever to be eligible, that have been released.  Whether the Clause should be around, or not, let's give accurate results, and not anecdotes.

dileas

tess

 

[zipperhead_cop]

I'll deffer to Bruce for that one, or stand corrected.  It is my impression that the Faint Hope clause was a system not working. 

 

[Retired AF Guy]

I'll deffer to Bruce for that one, or stand corrected.  It is my impression that the Faint Hope clause was a system not working.

Nope, still there. This article from 20 April states that the Tories will re-introduce legislation to repeal the clause.

 

[krustyrl]

Does anyone know when this circus of a trial is going to start.?  This guy just makes my toenails curl, now.!!

 

[mariomike]

Does anyone know when this circus of a trial is going to start.?  This guy just makes my toenails curl, now.!!

"Accused killer colonel ready to plead guilty":
http://cancrime.com/2010/04/accused-killer-colonel-ready-to-plead.html

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

As of October 18, 2009, 1,023 offenders were deemed eligible to apply for a judicial review. Of those eligible, there were 174 court decisions of which 144 became eligible for earlier parole. Of these, 85 were granted parole.

Tess, this is more Parole Board crap as I read it...........over 800 didn't even bother to apply as they would rather wait a bit longer  for mandatory release and have either no strings attached or at worst, very few. [or just like the nice easy life in jail]

So now we have 85 out of 174 released........unless I too am mistaken.


Either way the real shitty part of the 'faint hope' clause is it makes victims families start attending these hearings years sooner to start listening to a total jerk off spout on about how he/she deserves another chance.