Top 10 murder rates by city (per 100,000 population):
Regina: 5.0;
Billy Jack Bird pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the vicious beating death of 71- year-old Selina Nellie McIntosh and aggravated assault for the attack that left George Alexander McIntosh, 74, in a coma. He has never regained consciousness.
“It is incomprehensible how such violence could be directed to these kind and gentle people,” Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Ellen Gunn said, in accepting the joint recommendation of life in prison with no chance for parole for 20 years on the second-degree murder conviction. Bird will serve a 10-year concurrent sentence for aggravated assault.
Recounting the facts of the case in court, Crown prosecutor Kim Jones said George had been giving money to people in the couple’s North Central neighbourhood for about two years, “out of kindness or attempts not to be bothered,” and had given Bird $800 a few days before the attack.
On July 1, 2004, Bird went to the couple’s Princess Street house to ask for more money and became enraged when George refused to give it to him. Court heard that Bird “snapped,” ripped the phone out of the wall and hit the elderly man until he was unconscious.
When Selina entered the room, Bird began a vicious beating that continued in almost every room in the house, the court was told. Bird then removed the woman’s pants and underwear and masturbated above her body in what Jones called “an act of utter disrespect.”
Selina was able to put on a pair of sweat pants before she died.
Police later found Bird’s bloody shirt and jewellery he’d stolen from the house inside a nearby dumpster.
He was interviewed by police and ultimately confessed to the crime.
Court heard George and Selina McIntosh had been married 37 years, and had two children and three grandchildren. Both had survived cancer and Selina had Alzheimer’s disease. Their son discovered the couple’s bodies on July 2, 2004, after being unable to reach them by phone all day.
Court heard the house was found ransacked and in complete disarray, with blood throughout the home and the bedroom door ripped off its hinges.
Selina McIntosh was dead at the scene and had facial injuries, a broken nose and cuts around her lips, mouth, cheeks and chin. Her larynx was fractured and many of her ribs were broken, puncturing her lung. She died from severe trauma to her head, chest and extremities.
George McIntosh was taken to hospital in critical condition, having received a broken jaw, facial injuries and a severe head injury that has left him in a persistent vegetative state.
“This home invasion was an act of unspeakable horror,” Jones told court, calling the attack “a brutal and senseless crime.” In a victim impact statement read aloud in court, the couple’s son said few people could understand the experience of finding their parent’s “murdered, lifeless bodies” inside the family home.
If you look into this more deeply, you’re sure to realize that Billy Jack Bird is a victim too, and that all of society (including everybody reading this) is ultimately responsible.
All roads lead to Roma; follow the money; but, noa namas, ciaio.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Five men pledge cash on fugitive
TORONTO – A parade of businessmen pledged their homes and businesses — valued at $2.5-million — as guarantees that Antonio Commisso, a fugitive from Italy who is the alleged boss of a powerful Mafia clan will not flee while he fights the government’s moves to extradite him to his homeland. But the five men cannot be named because of a publication ban. (National Post)
http://www.primetimecrime.com/
Drained Brain’s comment is soooo typical. Bird’s the victim right – not the McIntosh’s. Oh wait – Brain says we are ALL responsible for the native guy who wants cash for booze and drugs and beats the shit out of 2 old people so he can feed his habit.
Whatever happened to accountability?? Or do those you consider “oppressed” get a free ticket to do anything they like to anyone – regardless of what that action is?
What if the guy was white and it was a young woman instead of a senior woman. Would that make a difference to you or should we treat him the same as Bird?
Just because someone has had a rough life does not give them a pass on accountability for their actions. He only got a 10 year sentence whereas the McIntosh’s (including their family) got a life sentence.
Aizlynee – re your comment “What if the guy was white and it was a young woman instead of a senior woman. Would that make a difference to you or should we treat him the same as Bird?”
The Supreme Court of Canada has already ruled that courts have to take into account Mr. Bird’s race before sentencing him. That’s the law of the land. Were any of his ancestors in residential schools? Were his parents dysfunctional due to the oppression of White society? Does he experience esteem problems?
It’s hard to admit one’s own implicit guilt as a member of the oppressive society, isn’t it, but I guarantee you’ll feel better once you’ve done so.
To qualify as a judge in Canada you must first and foremost be able to spell the word concurrent. No other qualifications such as common sense are required.
If you just stop for a second to imagine his treatment which results in such rage, you would see, but no, you can’t. Their culture was taken away, and he was treated like a dog, with no where to put it, so don’t be so full of judgment. Ask yourself what you would do in his position, and stop and ask yourself that before judging others, okay?
Bearheart/Drained Brain:
I haven’t bashed the heads in of anyone because I had a lousy childhood (although I guess if I told you my story you may think I would be justified). I know maybe better than anyone what kind of bs he grew up around. His anger would have been better directed at those who hurt him and not 2 old people who showed him immense kindness.
Having a crappy life because you are native is no excuse for abhorent behaviour. You should be just as outraged whether they were white, black or blue. Living in an oppressive society does not give someone the right to bash in old people’s heads.
Bird’s upbringing should be factored into sentencing when considering mitigating circumstances, but not in justifying an unjustifiable act.
Guys, I think Drained Brain is being sarcastic. Least, that’s how I took it when I first read it.
His “culture” taken away?
Please. He’s 21 years old. Please. He was born into the same “culture” we all were.
Huggybear99 you’re our prizewinner tonight! Your prize is my reading of the greatest line from WestSide Story, when one of the gang members says “we’re depraved on account a we’re deprived.”
It really sums up the philosophy of the criminal justice system quite tidily, don’t you think?
Kate, I’m confused, help me out. I’ve read the Leader-Post article and saw the picture of Billy Jack Bird. No where in the news article did it imply that Billy Jack is aboriginal. Is he? I reside in an area that is in close proximity to three reserves and I come into contact with aboriginals almost on a daily basis. This guy’s complextion seems a little fair. Are some of the commentors jumping to conclusions?
If you want to see ugly, read this. I had the link emailed to me, but it is just too gross to blog about.
http://dakotapundit.blogs.com/dakota_pundit/2005/07/monsters_in_our.html
He didn’t do anything to those people that their people did’nt do to him. No body deserves what happens to him in prisonn next either. I guess that’s where eh should go, Right?
Oma Annette, it’s suprising how quickly people jump to conclusions these days.
Bearheart, re your statement : “He didn’t do anything to those people that their people did’nt do to him.”
So you mean that someone at some point beat Bird senseless into a vegetative state, and then later beat him to death? My oh my!! However did Bird, with such horrendous handicaps, manage to inflict all of the harm he did to those two sprightly seniors?? He must be one hell of a hero in your mind, eh Bearheart?
Tonto must be spinning in his grave.
eye for the eye.
Bearfart, if he is indeed an aboriginal person it still isn’t an excuse. People have been displaced all over the planet since the beginning of time – not many are paid in perpetuity for the inconvenience. They were less sophisticated when it came to fighting and/or negotiating with the Europeans. It happens. Get over it.
You need to educate yourself about how people that like him were treated, because in comparison what he did wasn’t as bad. Wake up.
Bearheart, “vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord” (or however one spells “sayeth”).
IF he was aboriginal, which appears to be in doubt, and IF he was either the product of residential schooling or a child thereof, that is not an excuse. The following quote from the story doesn’t mention him being either Aboriginal (the whole story doesn’t mention it, which I find enlightening, it’s not like “Bird” is an Aboriginal-only name):
“…Defence lawyer James Struthers said Bird had a difficult childhood and was sexually and physically abused by his stepfather after his parents’ separation.
Struthers said Bird, a father of two young children, has struggled with alcohol and drug abuse issues and has taken responsibility for the attack…”
If Bird isn’t claiming either his personal or his family’s personal experiences in residential schools as an excuse (which any defense lawyer worth 10% of his fees would have jumped all over), then … you’re full of it.
He brutally attacked an elderly couple, killing one and effectively killing another, that had helped him in the past.
There is no justification for his behavior, here or anywhere else.
I agree if he was not aboriginal there was no excuse.
So Bearheart… if he’s not aboriginal, there’s no excuse based on his bad childhood. But if he is, all those childhood traumas suddenly qualify as an excuse? What a load of crap!
Say Bearheart, if what you’re saying is true, that all natives are potential timebombs, then I say we take preventative measures and lock ’em all up, maybe even kill ’em off, before they can pull another Bird. Sound good?
Bearheart You really need to find a better way to blame soceity for the atrocious crimes perpetrated by this guy. (and any other native/aboriginal alleged criminal) Exactly where does personal responsiblity enter into this picture. No amount of childhood abuse regardless of cultural affiliations justifies the beating to death of anyone. To say it’s OK because he was aboriginal, and therefore we just don’t “get it”, but not OK otherwise is just assinine. First of all he was only 21, residential schools would not have been part of his life. Second, there is a native community accross the road from my house, and yeah a certain amount of disfunction is evident – but none of my neighbors have been beaten to death!
I certainly am not taking any responsibility for what this guy turned into anymore than I am personally reponsible for Marc Lepine! Society did not create these people!!!
Bearheart is simply echoing Section 718.2 of the Criminal Code, which was upheld by the Supreme Court:
“718.2 A court that imposes a sentence shall also take into consideration the following principles:
(e) all available sanctions other than imprisonment that are reasonable in the circumstances should be considered for all offenders, with particular attention to the circumstances of aboriginal offenders.”
It just sounds outrageous because he hasn’t dressed it up in legalese. Surely you’re not holding his deficient writing skills against him!
Life…20 years?? This monster should be hung after the family is through with him!
As an Anthropology student I find it odd and funny the way you guys call ’em “aboriginals” – it’s almost as if they were laboratory specimins. BTW, Bearheart’s a goober. 😉
Having lived in a community that was roughly 20% Indian, er… Native, er… Aboriginal, er… First Nations for more than 30 years, I suggest you undertake some field research and learn that the people in question ordinarily refer to themselves in that way, i.e. “I’m First Nations,” not “I’m a First Nations person.” This usage is similar to saying “I’m Canadian.”
Hence, you’ll have to try harder to pin that particular tail on us racist donkeys.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Nations_of_Canada
Bird should be locked up for the rest of his life. How someone can serve time for two brutal crimes concurrently defies my understanding. Can we really hand out justice like a two for one deal on medium pizzas at Pizza Hut??? Victims rights to appropriate punishment for the guilty should be paramount. Given the extreme nature of Bird’s crime, his punishment should be equally extreme (like never seeing the outside of the Pen).
Bird is a predator…he knew how to put fear into a weak elderly couple…he knew to take care of the man first before taking his time with the woman…and he didn’t hesitate to perform humiliatingly grotesque acts on the woman before he ultimately sent her to her grave. He knew what he was doing. The boots should be put to this creep!
If anyone believes that factors in his background lessen his responsibility then I invite those people to offer Bird a place in their home for a month after he gets out.
According to press reports, the individual was charged originally with first degree murder. Obviously there was some sort of “plea bargain” (some of us are old enough to remember when plea bargains were a no-no). How much time will he actually serve? Remember that any time spent in custody is counted two-for-one as a convenience to all.
When I was a small child many years ago my parents used to teach me in their quaint ethnocentric way that some countries (in the mysterious East)didn’t value human life as much as we did. Hmmmm…
Drained, are you saying that in some of the “mysterious” eastern countries that a predatory monster like Bird wouldn’t be valued much? As in, they would send Bird’s family a bill for the bullet?
I think Canada should look at some of that mysteriousness…it might help to extend the lives of our victimized elderly population.
While I was actually thinking of the pathetic value placed on the lives of the two victims (10 years apiece minus time served), you raise at least as ironic a point.
Sorry, no racist-rubric or mistletoe to hang on anybody’s tree – more just a mater of scientism, or a clinical descriptive adjective/noun. As stated individuals and groups refer to themselves with the pronoun and “First Nation,” so my first tendency would simply be to call them “indigenous” – since apart from the Australian example “aboriginal” tends to more frequently describe an historical past culture (or one heading rapidly in that direction) rather than extant ones.
Also what might apply here is that frequently the peoples of those cultures would often tend to deal-out somewhat more determinedly harsh sanctions against such an individual who broke society’s covenants in such a determined manner, particularly in this case where two ancient and venerable elderly persons were so severely mistreated unto expiration – and it would seem that today this is a missed opportunity for that Indigenous group to act decisively and visibly shore-up their cultural values.
Yes Virginia…er….Drained, there is a Santa Clause for people like Bird. It’s called “Section 745.6”.
So even though elderly victims like Selina and George McIntosh have been given no hope, our Society so values it’s vicious predators that we give them a “faint hope”. It’s such a faint hope that in all probability the “Bird” will fly free again within a decade. He’ll still be young enough to rape and kill at least another few innocent elderly women to help Canada decrease its’ over-population of loving grandparents.
In a just and civil society Bird would not have troubled the state with his incarceration nor gotten too far in his criminal enterprise of picking on senor citizens in their homes as an armed homeowner would have mailed his criminal shit into the wind with a 12 GU. stamp.
Regardless of this soviet state’s laws concening self defense and firearms, any homeowner chrged with offing a punk that pulls a stunts like Bird did, would walk if the jury trials in this nation were in fact true representations of trial by peers. I’d Never convict a an elderly homeowner of shooting a slime bucket like bird…because I would and will if the “oppertunity” should ever arise..
I’m sure you’ll be reassured by reading the following Mission Statement:
“The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), as part of the criminal justice system and respecting the rule of law, contributes to the protection of society by actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens, while exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control.”
Your taxpayer dollars at work…
I’m sure that words referring to “cattle prods” and “tasers” had to be dropped from their initial drafts of the mission statement.
Looks like Braveheart is claiming a right to kill based on the colour of your skin. I’ll claim that right, thanks. It’ll come in handy.