QUEBEC JUDGE CONVICTED OF MURDER

This is a strange case. Last Thursday's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story titled "Ex-judge says he helped his wife commit suicide". So now after being convicted and losing two appeals he 's advising us that he lied to the police in the first place. He didn't murder his wife he merely assisted her with her suicide. For some, possibly including a jury, that would be enough right there to convict him on whatever the charge was. For others not nearly so cut and dried. His wife was disabled and wanted to die.

Perhaps the biggest problem is the ridiculous maximum sentence for helping a person commit suicide. That fourteen year sentence above and beyond her family's anger if he admitted to helping her. could persuade an otherwise intelligent person to be less than truthful with the police. Perhaps the silly judge thought that juries usually get it right and therefore he simply had to go through the process before being declared innocent. Quite a surprise no doubt. Juries of common lay folk may well take a little enjoyment in bringing down the mighty. Most especially if they are lawyers, politicians or judges.