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ll {i bi i i 1 i cry eS "A Family Tradition for 132 Years" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, December 22, 1998 - 9 Anger over McArthur sentencing is growing here By John B. McClelland . Port Perry Star Durham MP Alex Shepherd says the 141/2 year sentence handed con- victed bank robber Mitchiel McArthur is not enough, and wants Ontario to launch an appeal. Mr. Shepherd told the Port Perry Star late last week he has put his request in writing to the provincial Attorney-General. "The people of Durham are telling me they do not consider the sentence to be appropriate," he said in an interview from his con- stituency office in Port Perry. Mr. Shepherd is among a growing number of public figures who feel that McArthur should spend more time in prison for his multitude of serious crimes, including four convictions for attempted murder stem- ming from the bloody shoot- ings and bank robbery Oct. 20, 1994 in Port Perry. Agreeing is Terry Ryan, president of the Durham Police Association, which represents 600 civilians and officers. "I think it's time that all judges in the country be elected to make them more accountable," he said blunt- ly. "Where is the account- ability now?" he asked. "They (judges) should be made to stand on their (sen- tencing) record. As it is now, they are immune... they should be voted in." Noting that the McArthur case includes the shooting of three Durham Police officers in the Port Perry robbery, Mr. Ryan said the justice system is 5 ~~ pS) ye == QZ | ~N is Lost for a gift?... a, A gift certificate to dine at EMIEL'S PLACE > letting rank and i file officers down. "Where would we (society) be without Bl the front line offi- : a cers? If Shepherd they can shoot us, what will they do to the gen- eral public?" he asked. Describing McArthur as "extremely dangerous--one of the most dangerous crim- inals of the 1990's," Mr. Ryan said the association would very much like to see sentences served consecu- tively, rather than concur- rently, as was the case here. McArthur's 17 convic- tions for the Port Perry crimes resulted in a sen- tence of well over 100 years. But because they are to be served concurrently, it means just 141/2 years. He will be eligible for parole after eight years and get mandatory release after serving about nine years, or two thirds of his time. Others voicing serious concern include the Durham Police Services Board, Liberal MP Dan McTeague -- who has called for a judi- cial inquiry -- and Norm Gardner, chair of the Toronto Police Services Board. Scores of Durham Police officers, including the three shot in Port Perry, attended the hearing a week ago Monday in Whitby court and were numbed into shocked disbelief when the judge threw out the dan- gerous offender application and handed down the sen- tence. par | Ry ) ; COUNTY OF VICTORIA | SANITARY Because most of his jail terms are to run concur- rently, McArthur's sentence was 23 years, less 81/2 years which Justice LaForme knocked off for the four years he has already spent in custody awaiting trial and the hearing to have him declared a dangerous offender. Virtually all dangerous offenders in Canada's pris- ons have committed crimes of a violent predatory sexual nature. Clifford Olsen and Paul Bernardo are two of the better known inmates in this category. Justice LaForme ruled the Crown failed to meet the thresholds of dangerous offender status as defined by the Criminal Code. "With 141/2 years, he could be out in nine or 10 years, at age 57, and that's just too young for someone like him. If he were getting out at age 70, that would not bother me as much," said Mr. Shepherd who at one point termed the sen- tence a "travesty of justice." "By his make-up he's an habitual criminal, (with) a cowboy psychology. He should be getting a lot more (time in prison) than he got," said Mr. Shepherd. Durham Crown Attorney Michael Hill, who along with Lori Ann Turner pros- ecuted McArthur at trial and through the dangerous offender hearing, said an appeal is now up to the Crown Law Office in Toronto. Mr. Hill said he has forwarded a transcript of Justice LaForme's sen- tencing to that office, with a suggestion that there are grounds for an appeal. Asked for his personal reaction to the sentence handed down, Mr. Hill declined comment, saying it would be "inappropriate." The Crown has 30 days to decide whether to launch an appeal, and Mr. Hill said he would expect a decision in the near future. If an appeal is launched it will be heard in Toronto in front of the Ontario Court of Appeal. Mr. Hill and Ms. Turner had asked for life in prison if the dangerous offender application was denied. [He & FY an (TOWNSHIP or 8CUGOQ NEW YEAR'S LEVY to be held New Year's Day 2pm to 4pm Township of Scugog Council Chambers Everyone Welcome! MAYOR'S 1ST The Regional Municipality of Durham Works Department Mr. Shepherd told the Port Perry Star he has taken a personal interest in the McArthur case from the moment it began the evening of Oct. 20, 1994. He arrived at the scene of the crimes shortly after the three officers had been hit by gunfire in the parking lot of the Port Perry Plaza. Later, the MP made a trip to Millhaven Prison to talk to some of the guards who had known McArthur while he served time there. There is presently a pri- ANETINITS) AN RIH vate member's bill before the House of Commons call- ing on changes to the way sentences are handed out in Canada. The bill essen- tially calls for multiple year sentences to be served con- secutively, rather than con- currently. Had the judge ruled he must serve his terms consecutively, McArthur would be in jail for well over 100 years. In light of the McArthur case, Mr. Shepherd said he will take a very hard look at the wording of the bill. ANF HEC HOPKINS THE MASK OF ZORRO Nod TI LANDFILL SITES "A ROLLICKING ADVENTURE. FUNNY, EXCITING AND HEART-TOUCHING." -Bob Strauss, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS TRISTAR PICTURES presents AN AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION "THE MASK OF ZORRO" A150 STARRING: CATHERINE ZETA-JONES STUART WILSON MATTHEW LETSCHER co-propucer JOHN GERTZ music BY JAMES HORNER executive propucers STEVEN SPIELBERG, WALTER FE. PARKES, LAURIE MAcDONALD probucep BY DOUG CLAYBOURNE ano DAVID FOSTER STORY BY TED ELLIOTT & TERRY ROSSIO AND RANDALL JAHNSON screen pray BY JOHN ESKOW anp TED ELLIOTT& TERRY ROSSIO pirectep By MARTIN CAMPBELL ® ran IMATE e Char ©1998 LAYOUT AND DESIGN COLUMBIA TRISTAR HOME VIDEO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ©1998 TRISTAR PICTURES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED HOLIDAY BLUE BOX S=#@ll COLLECTION AN SCHEDULE Christmas & New Year's Holiday Hours Blue Box collection in the City of Oshawa and the Township of Scugog normally scheduled for Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25th has been rescheduled to Monday, Dec. 28th. Regular County landfills will operate according to their regular winter schedules, with ALL landfills being CLOSED on the following dates: Christmas Day - Friday, December 25th, 1998 bi-weekly collection will resume Jan. 8th. | [go oo -------- ~~ Wi ERRY CHRISTIAS Boxing Day - Saturday, December 26th, 1998 oo TO ALL OUR CUSTOMERS New Years Day - Friday, January 1st, 1999 Only those residents in City of Oshawa and the Township of Scugog who would have received GIVE THE GIFT OF HOLLYWOOD! % VIDEOPLEX HAS THE TITLES YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. DROP IN OR CALL Reni 7 T0 FILL YOUR Joe ven CHRISTMAS WISH LIST. | qin ft pon Not valid with any 68 Water St. 985-8807 Blue Box collection on Dec. 25th will be Any questions regarding garbage collection should affected by this change. be directed to your local municipal office. Rent 2 New V.A. SILGAILIS, P. ENG. COMMISSIONER OF WORKS Please do not litter municipal roadways or private property. other offer. Expires Jan. 7,1999 He. o... ee ee: eA Al]