(Published in 24 Hours June 13, 2012)
Rioters not getting their just punishment
By
Leo Knight
When convicted Stanley Cup rioter Emmanuel Alviar was being taken away by B.C. Sheriffs after being given a 30-day jail sentence for participating in the Stanley Cup riot he muttered, “This is crazy.”
Such was his contrition at his stupidity for being involved with the rest of the witless wonders on that horrible night nearly a year ago. He actually thought he would get away with his manifestly stupid behaviour because he pled guilty. Perhaps he needed better counsel.
What is crazy is that Provincial Court Judge Reg Harris only gave him one month despite the Crown calling for a sentence of four months. Most of the rest of us think more was in order.
Alviar’s case has been touted as a measuring stick for cases brought against rioters with no previous criminal records. If so, then the calls for justice post-riot will not be served.
Let me be frank. In Canada, any sentence given by any judge ends up as only two thirds of the time sentenced - at best. Most convicts are given parole at the one-third point in their sentence. But, they are actually considered for “early release” at the one-sixth point in their sentence by a corrections system that actually believes its job is to empty the prisons of its inhabitants.
In Alviar’s case, technically, he could be released by the hug-a-thug system after five days in custody. That would be the one-sixth point.
And that is only if we consider the 30-day sentence as suitable accountability for Alviar’s actions on that horrible night filled with images of outrageous actions by hundreds of our youth.
I don’t.
These idiots caused millions of dollars of damage. People like Alviar joined in because of the so-called “mob mentality” in which he was caught up.
Boo-hoo. Cry me a river.
They need to be held accountable and despite the comments of Judge Harris, who, I might add, likely actually believed he was being tough in sentencing, a few days in jail is little more than a slap on the wrist.
I have long said it is tough to go to jail in British Columbia regardless of what you do. This decision underlines that statement in view of all the howls of outrage immediately post-riot by all of our leaders and a pliant media.
If a puppy pees on my carpet, I correct the behaviour by giving the puppy a meaningful consequence for the bad behaviour. Emphasis on meaningful.
This is meaningless.