AWARD WINNING
www.voiceonline.com
JULY - 11 - 2020 | VOLUME 29 | NUMBER 28
Jamie Bacon’s first-degree murder charge in Surrey Six killings will be stayed
Former Surrey RCMP chief Bill Fordy on the ongoing police controversy NIAGARA Regional Police Deputy Chief Bill Fordy, the former Surrey RCMP chief, on Thursday said, “Racism is wrong and must stop,” but regretted “a pattern of stereotyping all police officers based on the actions of a few.” Niagara Regional Police Service is the oldest regional police service in Ontario. Here is Fordy’s full statement that was sent to The VOICE:
Jamie Bacon FOR Eileen Mohan, the mother of innocent South Asian victim Christopher (Chris) Mohan, 22, justice must indeed seem as a joke – a cruel joke – as the first-degree charge of murder in the notorious Surrey Six murders in 2007 is to be stayed against Red Scorpion leader Jamie (James Kyle) Bacon. Thanks to a plea agreement between Crown and defence, Bacon on Thursday pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit the murder of Corey Lal in the Surrey Six murders and counselling someone to murder an associate, Dennis Karbovanec, in another case in 2008. B.C. Supreme Court Justice Kathleen Ker found Bacon guilty on both counts. But the first-degree murder charge in the Surrey Six murders will be stayed at the time of sentencing on July 23. Bacon had been charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit the murder of Corey Lal, one of six people who died on October 19, 2007, at the Balmoral Tower building in Surrey. In 2014, Cody Haevischer and Matthew Johnston were convicted of six
Chris Mohan’s memorial. Photo by Chandra Bodalia counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder in relation to this case. Both offenders are now serving life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years. However, they have appealed their convictions. Chris Mohan, who lived with his parents in their apartment next door to Corey Lal, and gasfitter Edward J. Schellenberg, 55, of Abbotsford, who was performing maintenance on the fireplace in Corey Lal’s apartment, were the innocent victims who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Four other victims who police said led criminal lifestyles – brothers Corey Lal, 21, and Michael Justin Lal, 26, and Edward (Eddie) Sousakhone Narong, 22, and Ryan Bartolomeo, 19 – were also executed in typical gang-style fashion at Apartment 1505 of the Balmoral Towers at 9830 East Whalley Ring Road in Surrey that day. Last May, the B.C. Court of Appeal had announced that Bacon could be tried in the Surrey Six murders case, setting aside the stay of
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proceedings by a B.C. Supreme Court judge on December 1, 2017. But then this week, a deal was suddenly announced. Eileen Mohan told the CBC: “You have no idea how much loss we have [suffered]. They stole Christopher and they stole our lives too. It took him 13 years to plead guilty and 13 years we’ve been running around in circles. Had he been genuine, then he would have pleaded guilty a long time ago.” And she told Vancouver Sun’s Kim Bolan: “I would have preferred this to go to trial. Honestly, I would have taken my chances at the trial — whatever the outcome — rather than him cutting a sweetheart deal.” Bacon’s defence lawyer Kevin Westell told reporters that if the joint submission was accepted, he will serve another five to six years as he would get 12 years pre-trial credit against the 18-year deal. Crown counsel Bob Wright told reporters the joint sentencing submission is 18 years on the Surrey Six conspiracy and 10 on the counselling charge and is expected to be concurrent.
I have watched and listened to the general public. I would now like to add my voice to the narrative because I am disappointed and saddened by the tragedies of the past few months, the resulting media coverage, and the feelings of some towards the police. I have witnessed disrespect to police officers across the country. In the spirit of full transparency, I am a father, a husband, and I have proudly been a police officer for 31 years. I love our country, fully respect the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and I wholeheartedly support the enshrining of all Canadians having the right and ability to express their thoughts or feelings. I have worked alongside some of the finest people in this country, at times on matters relating to the deaths of some of our most vulnerable citizens, oftentimes by persons that were filled with hate. On the other hand,
Bill Fordy. Photo: Niagara Regional Police Service
I have witnessed incredible acts of kindness by the people that we serve. I am respectfully requesting that you consider the fact that police officers don’t get called because something good has happened. In fact, police officers typically respond because someone has been hurt, someone has had something taken from them, or someone is reaching out for help, often on the worst day of their life. Very recently, our communities were publically acknowledging and celebrating all first responders, inclusive of police officers, who were risking the health of themselves and
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