(Published in 24 Hours Aug. 8, 2012)
Crown too soft on gun crime
By
Leo Knight
Gangs and guns have dominated the headlines in recent weeks. As I have said, it is not enough for politicians to throw money at the problem willy-nilly, enact more laws or listen to the tongue-clucking ‘ban guns’ crowd.
In a previous column (Concerted effort needed to subdue gangs), I wrote about how all sides involved need to engage in a collective effort to combat the problem. But, for a close look at how the system perpetuates the problem, let’s look at one example that reached its inevitable conclusion last week in Halifax.
Narico Danefu Downey was a 23-year-old man who was shot and later died in hospital a week ago, on a quiet Sunday night. He was raised in the same town that produced the likes of Sidney Crosby. In high school, he led his team to the provincial basketball championship playoffs, scoring 32 points in the final game.
But he drifted instead of taking advantage of the opportunities presented.
In August 2009, he was one of five people arrested and charged relating to a robbery and kidnapping. Four men wearing masks and carrying handguns accosted two women and forced them to drive to a bowling alley where one worked to open the safe.
Initially, Downey was charged with two counts of robbery and kidnapping and one charge each of conspiracy to commit, wearing a mask in the commission of an offence, using a firearm in the commission of an offence and possession of a weapon for a purpose dangerous to the public peace.
As is so typical these days, the Crown sought a deal for a guilty plea despite the fact that conviction for all charges was easily obtainable without it. His cousin Coulton Downey went to trial and is currently serving six years.
Narico Downey pleaded guilty to a lesser but included offence, one count of being an accessory to robbery, and received an 18-month conditional sentence. It did nothing to change the path he was on.
Eighteen months conditional sentence which, loosely translated, means nothing at all. That’s it. Despite the fact the one charge — using a weapon in the commission of an offence — carried with it a four-year minimum jail sentence in addition to anything the court sentenced him for the original charge.
Downey’s sentence didn’t protect the public, deter, contain or rehabilitate him. What it did was allow him to continue on his ultimately fatal path with gangs and guns.
Yet again, the justice system abdicated its responsibility and someone is dead.
Fortunately, in this case, it wasn’t an innocent.