In an ideal world, a “life sentence” would mean that an offender who had been so sentenced would be incarcerated for the remainder of his natural life. In our actual world, this term means nothing of the sort. I refer to the recent life sentence handed down for the 2019 murder and two assaults in Brentwood Bay.
The perpetrator of these three horrific crimes was sentenced to so-called life imprisonment, but might well be released in as few as 18 years. He is presently 50 years of age, and will be 68 after the expiration of such a period. I myself am 82 years old, and still very capable of inflicting serious, even fatal harm upon a woman not trained in self-defence.
The bleeding hearts among us wish us to sympathize with this individual because he has a history of substance dependency and had recently lost his job. So what? As a young man, I was for a time involved in the illicit drug world and had on more than one occasion lost a job. Still, it never occurred to me that such a background might excuse me for committing violent antisocial acts. You pick up the pieces and soldier on.
“Life sentence?” As a 50-year old, taking into account the average male life expectancy, this person will spend roughly one-quarter of his life, or one-third of his adult life in jail. He was convicted of not one but three serious crimes; as well as having brutally murdered a lovely, intelligent young woman with a loving partner and her whole life before her, he inflicted life-altering, near-fatal injuries upon two other innocent persons.
Concurrent sentences? Give me a break. That judge had the authority to impose consecutive sentences. This repulsive waste of skin has therefore completely gotten away with two serious, brutal crimes. I suppose he’ll be “rehabilitated” when he’s released. Dream on.
John C. Simpson
Oak Bay