Criminal Justice

Premier Jason Kenney provides details on sustainable helicopter air ambulance funding in Calgary on Friday, March 25, 2022. The association representing Alberta Crown prosecutors has told the provincial government that the justice system is in crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

‘Crisis in the justice system’: Alberta prosecutors consider strike action

Alberta prosecutors pushing for wage parity with B.C. and Ontario

Premier Jason Kenney provides details on sustainable helicopter air ambulance funding in Calgary on Friday, March 25, 2022. The association representing Alberta Crown prosecutors has told the provincial government that the justice system is in crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
B.C. First Nations Justice Council chairperson Doug White III, left, seen here with B.C. Attorney General David Eby in March, was recognized for his work in B.C.’s legal system with a Queen’s counsel designation. (News Bulletin file)

Ottawa commits $8.9M to support B.C. Indigenous justice strategy

The funding will go toward the creation of 15 Indigenous justice centres in B.C.

B.C. First Nations Justice Council chairperson Doug White III, left, seen here with B.C. Attorney General David Eby in March, was recognized for his work in B.C.’s legal system with a Queen’s counsel designation. (News Bulletin file)
FILE - Drake Bell appears at the world premiere of “The Spy Who Dumped Me” in Los Angeles on July 25, 2018. Bell is scheduled to be sentenced Monday, July 12, 2021 in Cleveland to charges relating to a teen whom he met online and who attended one of his concerts in 2017 when she was 15. The 34-year-old Bell, of West Hollywood, California, pleaded guilty last month to a felony county of attempted child endangerment and a misdemeanor count of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Actor Drake Bell gets probation on child endangerment charge

Jared ‘Drake’ Bell, 34, was also sentenced to 200 hours of community service

FILE - Drake Bell appears at the world premiere of “The Spy Who Dumped Me” in Los Angeles on July 25, 2018. Bell is scheduled to be sentenced Monday, July 12, 2021 in Cleveland to charges relating to a teen whom he met online and who attended one of his concerts in 2017 when she was 15. The 34-year-old Bell, of West Hollywood, California, pleaded guilty last month to a felony county of attempted child endangerment and a misdemeanor count of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
Provincial Court Judge Lisa Mrozninski had enough of defendant Steven Vanbuskirk’s missed sentencing hearings and on July 8 issued a warrant for his arrest. (Black Press Media file image)

Judge issues arrest warrant for Greater Victoria man after missed sentencing hearing

Judge in Colwood courtroom tires of ongoing excuses for fraudster avoiding sentencing

Provincial Court Judge Lisa Mrozninski had enough of defendant Steven Vanbuskirk’s missed sentencing hearings and on July 8 issued a warrant for his arrest. (Black Press Media file image)
Nanaimo Law Courts. (PQB News file photo)

Parksville man handed 9-month jail term for harassing women with explicit calls, messages

Information on victims was obtained through his former job at car dealership

Nanaimo Law Courts. (PQB News file photo)
Paul Bernardo is shown in this courtroom sketch during Ontario court proceedings via video link in Napanee, Ont., on October 5, 2018. Teen killer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo is set for a parole hearing today. The designated dangerous offender, has been eligible for full parole for more than three years. Bernardo’s horrific crimes in the 1980s and early 1990s include for kidnapping, torturing and killing Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy near St. Catharines, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Greg Banning

Killer rapist denied parole, Paul Bernardo, had plans to relocate to Kelowna

Designated dangerous offender has been eligible for full parole for more than three years

Paul Bernardo is shown in this courtroom sketch during Ontario court proceedings via video link in Napanee, Ont., on October 5, 2018. Teen killer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo is set for a parole hearing today. The designated dangerous offender, has been eligible for full parole for more than three years. Bernardo’s horrific crimes in the 1980s and early 1990s include for kidnapping, torturing and killing Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy near St. Catharines, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Greg Banning
Paul Bernardo is shown in this courtroom sketch during Ontario court proceedings via video link in Napanee, Ont., on October 5, 2018. Teen killer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo is set for a parole hearing today. The designated dangerous offender, has been eligible for full parole for more than three years. Bernardo’s horrific crimes in the 1980s and early 1990s include for kidnapping, torturing and killing Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy near St. Catharines, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Greg Banning

Killer rapist denied parole, Paul Bernardo, had plans to relocate to Kelowna

Designated dangerous offender has been eligible for full parole for more than three years

Paul Bernardo is shown in this courtroom sketch during Ontario court proceedings via video link in Napanee, Ont., on October 5, 2018. Teen killer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo is set for a parole hearing today. The designated dangerous offender, has been eligible for full parole for more than three years. Bernardo’s horrific crimes in the 1980s and early 1990s include for kidnapping, torturing and killing Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy near St. Catharines, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Greg Banning
Nanaimo city council voted in support of penning a letter to the province asking for a public inquiry into the justice system in B.C. and why the courts release prolific chronic offenders back into communities. (News Bulletin file photo)

Nanaimo supports call for tougher penalties, criminal justice reforms

Council concerned that repeat offenders keep being released, votes to send letter to B.C. government

Nanaimo city council voted in support of penning a letter to the province asking for a public inquiry into the justice system in B.C. and why the courts release prolific chronic offenders back into communities. (News Bulletin file photo)
A Nanaimo city councillor plans to bring forward a motion demanding stronger measures to protect communities from repeat and prolific offenders released into communities. (News Bulletin file photo)

Nanaimo councillor wants tougher measures for prolific offenders

Coun. Sheryl Armstrong plans to bring forward motion asking province for justice-system reforms

A Nanaimo city councillor plans to bring forward a motion demanding stronger measures to protect communities from repeat and prolific offenders released into communities. (News Bulletin file photo)
The. B.C. Court of Appeal has granted a new trial to former Vernon man William Schneider, convicted of second-degree murder in the 2016 death of Japanese exchange student Natsumi Kogawa. (Vancouver Police Department photo)

New trial ordered for man accused of murdering Japanese exchange student in B.C.

Decision was made on the basis of an overheard phone conversation

The. B.C. Court of Appeal has granted a new trial to former Vernon man William Schneider, convicted of second-degree murder in the 2016 death of Japanese exchange student Natsumi Kogawa. (Vancouver Police Department photo)
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti responds to a question during a news conference about training for judges Monday October 19, 2020 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Commons gives approval in principle to judges’ sexual assault training bill

Bill C-3 would require new federally appointed judges to agree to take training

Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti responds to a question during a news conference about training for judges Monday October 19, 2020 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
While provincial courts were never fully closed, new files couldn’t be accepted for several months as a result of COVID-19. (Black Press Media file photo)

Unfiled cases could backlog B.C. provincial court system

Provincial court registry and proceedings in Victoria have reopened

While provincial courts were never fully closed, new files couldn’t be accepted for several months as a result of COVID-19. (Black Press Media file photo)
Our Lady of Perpetual Help school in Kamloops. (Google Maps)

Woman awarded $844K after judge slams ‘reprehensible’ sex abuse coverup at Kamloops church

Justice David Crossin said archbishop covered up abuse by priest

  • Aug 27, 2020
Our Lady of Perpetual Help school in Kamloops. (Google Maps)
Mac Saini was just 16 months old when he died in an unlicensed B.C. daycare. (Submitted)

Operator charged in death of ‘Baby Mac’ at unlicensed Vancouver daycare

Macallan Saini died at an unlicensed and unregistered daycare in East Vancouver

Mac Saini was just 16 months old when he died in an unlicensed B.C. daycare. (Submitted)
FILE. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)

Federal prosecutors receive new guidelines against prosecuting minor drug offences

Guideline directs prosecutors to focus upon the most serious cases raising public safety concerns

FILE. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File)
Sijie Liu, 37, from Winnipeg, pleaded guilty for attempting to pickup a toxin in the United States that she had ordered on the dark web. She was sentenced to six years in a U.S. District Court in North Dakota on June 22 for attempting to acquire a chemical weapon. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Cass County Sheriff’s Office

Canadian woman sentenced in U.S. for trying to get chemical weapon off dark web

Liu crossed the border and went to a business in Pembina, N.D. to pick up a package under a false name

Sijie Liu, 37, from Winnipeg, pleaded guilty for attempting to pickup a toxin in the United States that she had ordered on the dark web. She was sentenced to six years in a U.S. District Court in North Dakota on June 22 for attempting to acquire a chemical weapon. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Cass County Sheriff’s Office
A trial courtroom at the Provincial Court of B.C., in Vancouver in this undated photo. (Cliff MacArthur/provincialcourt.bc.ca)

B.C. creates advisory groups to look at COVID-19 impacts on justice system

One of the groups will make recommendations on how to deal with the backlog in cases

A trial courtroom at the Provincial Court of B.C., in Vancouver in this undated photo. (Cliff MacArthur/provincialcourt.bc.ca)
Former Victoria lawyer James Edward turner can no longer practise law for 10 years after facing discipline from the Law Society of British Columbia. (Black Press File Photo)

Victoria immigration lawyer has rights revoked after lying to many clients

James Edward Turner will not be eligible to practise law again for 10 years

Former Victoria lawyer James Edward turner can no longer practise law for 10 years after facing discipline from the Law Society of British Columbia. (Black Press File Photo)
ZYTARUK: Keeping homicide victims’ names from public a disturbing trend

ZYTARUK: Keeping homicide victims’ names from public a disturbing trend

Not revealing the identities of homicide victims is bad public policy, and here’s why

ZYTARUK: Keeping homicide victims’ names from public a disturbing trend
ZYTARUK: Keeping homicide victims’ names from public a disturbing trend

ZYTARUK: Keeping homicide victims’ names from public a disturbing trend

Not revealing the identities of homicide victims is bad public policy, and here’s why

ZYTARUK: Keeping homicide victims’ names from public a disturbing trend