Killer Drunk Driver Outrage

This is a direct quote from the NB blogger, Spink who nicely summarizes this latest judicial outrage

“Okay, this guy, Peter Leon Howe drinks 24 beers, half a bottle of whisky, jumps behind the wheel and ends up killing 23-year old Robbie MacRitchie who was on his bicycle in Fredericton and gets house arrest?!? Is it any wonder MADD determined last year that New Brunswick was the slackest province in the country when it came to drunk driving? Judge Graydon Nicholas sides with the criminal and not the victim or in this case, the victim’s family by saying, “Now mind you, people make mistakes.” A mistake? This guy got smashed and jumped behind the wheel of his car and took a young man’s life. It’s a poor, poor message Nicholas and the justice system in New Brunswick has sent out to the public regarding the consequences (or lack there of) of drinking and driving...again”

Pretty sad isn’t it? Now contrast the actions of this judge Knucklehead Nicholas to the actions of Judge Judy Glenndenning as relayed by this April 6 article in the Telegraph Journal:

“WOODSTOCK: A judge sentenced a Plaster Rock man to three and one-half years in prison Monday for a fatal car-pedestrian collision last fall. The RCMP charged Thomas Clyde Daye, 43, after the hit and run accident that killed Crystal Tapely, 31. Officers found her body on the side of the road early November 19. Court of Queen’s Bench Judy Glenndenning imposed the sentence in Woodstock and prohibited Daye from driving for life.”

Same province, very different outcomes. Way to go Judge Judy ! We need more women with balls like her.

Another but different kind of case, Judge Patricia Cumming sentenced a pervert pedophile (is there any other kind?) to a year in jail for counseling a father (actually an undercover officer) to abuse his 4 year old daughter. So this guy did not kill anybody but got a year in the slammer for urging a father to abuse his daughter and tell him the details later. However Judge Knucklehead Nicholas sees fit to release a killer drunk driver house arrest? Judge Patsy has balls unlike Nicholas. (Patsy was what we called her in high school –Bathurst High to be precise.)

So the big question is why the sentence handed down by Judge Knucklehead Nicholas is not being appealed by the crown?

Where is the justice?????????

April 12/07 Update
Last week I read that the crown will be appealing the sentence.