Poor Judgement Hewson

Justice and judgement lie often a world apart.
                                                               Emmeline Pankhurst
                                                               1858 - 1928

Plus in Canada both coming from an anything-goes judiciary.

Poor Judgement Nesteroff
It's not just the Nelson Star - go-to local news-source - disallowing commenting on Turner-trial-shenanigans: muzzling readers who may have and should be encouraged to raise concerns around this. Even though the Star itself editorializing for Cst. Turner's dismissal from the Force. Go figure!
Journalistic responsibility, democratic voices and all that. Here still the same old Harper shutting-them-down-to-shut-them-up thing! 
In progressive, mindful Nelson!

Poor Judgement Turner
It's also not just an off-duty cop - disregarding on-duty fellow-cops on the scene - beating an out-of-it, half-his-size, handcuffed woman into unconsciousness, punctuating the job well-done with That will shut her up! - and driving off. Later repeating his alpha-chant similarly to a dispatcher. And Court discovering this cop has lied repeatedly about the assault.


(In the judgement, 11 Feb, 2014, of
Mason v. Turner
2014BCSC211
against defendants
Cst. Drew Turner, Chief Cst. Dan Maluta, City of Nelson 
the Court rejects several of the charges, while finding for the plaintiff - regarding a police search - and fines the City of Nelson $500.00 over the same Turner's involvement. Is this on his record? Charges against Maluta are dropped earlier in the trial.
Commenting in the Star is disallowed on that occasion as well. Neither does it mention that trial while reporting this trial.)

Poor Judgement Hewson
Primarily this is about Richard Hewson - judge for almost 2 years - giving Turner a month of R&R at the strong bosom of his family and friends in his stable community residence: bolstering the conditional sentence with most disingenuous mitigating circumstances.
While That will shut her up! - and its repeat! - seem clear indicators - plural! - of a troubled individual: not so to the judge.

   


Mitigating Circumstance - Counseling
It was reported in Court that Turner has been attending counseling since December 2014. Meaning: he started whatever kind of counseling about 7 months after his way-unbalanced violent outburst: usually called a rage! but by the judge in the heat of a moment in a chaotic situation. Which - incidentally - seems to have been largely created by Turner.
Roid rage? Mental-health issues?
We don't know why counseling was not sought earlier by Turner and mandated by the cop-shop - what with Turner conceivably a threat: still on desk-duty - working together with those who testified against him and others there who may be critical, may not want to be associated by the public with such behavior.
We also don't know how often he was counseled - is he still: now that the trial is over? - and with what professional (out-of-town expert) assessment/conclusion.

Mitigating Circumstance - Character References
Hewson said he had been presented with a number of character references for Turner from members of the community ... Turner and his Lawyer John Green had enough time to get these references organized - a most basic ploy to influence judgement: it worked! - and they should have been accepted with a grain of salt: in Smallishtown, where everything is personal.

Mitigating Circumstance - Job Loss/Reputation
... faces the loss of his job, and has suffered a loss of reputation in the community. Why should/could/would a more lenient sentence save his job and reputation?

After all - everybody convicted of a crime faces these possible consequences!

And according to Hewson - in the same breath - should: When a police officer breaches the public trust and engages in illegal activity, even if off duty, it undermines the public confidence in the police and the rule of law. Turner - indeed - was convicted of a crime in the line of/off-duty, and if he loses his job because of what led to that, and his reputation has suffered because of what led to that - he had it coming! What makes this exceptionally brutal cop a cuddled exception in Court?

Mitigating Circumstance - Letter of Apology
This apology from Turner to Tawny Campbell - his punching-bag - was sent about 1 month before sentencing and about 15 months after the assault - rightly found to be too little, too late by Prosecutor Debra Drissell. Clearly one more ridiculously transparent attempt to influence his sentence - again working: Hewson, however, said he would accept this letter at face value.

Mitigating Circumstance - Family & Friends
Hewson cited Turner's strong relationship with his family and friends who will support him, his stable residence in the community ... What support exactly does he need he can't get in jail? What does Hewson know about what they will do? What does he know about their strong relationship - aside from the undoubtedly glowing character references family and friends predictably produced?


All this in my Brigadoon!?
Yup! 
 

   

  



Direct quotes are from the Star's lengthy reports on trial/sentencing.



Richard Hewson: Vernon Morning Star
nintendolife.com
writersandartists.co.uk
@calcopwatch