Fredericton NB Brookside Drive-area shooting leaves at least 4 people dead

[CBH99]

Let me take a crack at the reason the medias are tracking this story.

And let's start by stating (not in a negative way, BTW) that mariomike's reaction to the story and the part that struck him are indicative of the "clannish" blindness to the general population that is often found in uniformed LEOs and people working closely with them. They feel anything appearing to "bring them down to everybody's level" as an attack on them.

That is not the case.

So let's see here: No, it is not common for victims of homicides to get a condolence call from the Prime Minister. And neither is it common for the families of LEO's killed in the course of their duty to get them - or visit - from the PM, at least not before the actual funeral if the PM attends.

However, in the present case, the PM (and in my view, most likely his handlers who thought it would be a nice PR "coup" with the election beginning to loom) decided to come down to the location of a quadruple homicide. Yet, he then elected to meet with only two of the families of the victims, which happens to be the families of the two LEO's, but not the last two, one of which he then calls by phone the day after from Ottawa, and fourth he apparently hasn't even called yet, but will soon.

Well, I am sorry, but if you decide to bother to come down to the scene, common human decency and minimal "class" dictates that you meet and threat every victim's family the same. LEO's have no superior call on the PM's sympathy than any other Canadian. In fact, to Canadian who are non-LEO and their families, this very deportment of the PM seems to say that  LEO's lives matter (to use current vernacular) more than those of ordinary Canadians.

And that, my friends is both the reason for the person's lashing at the PM and why it is a newsworthy story. If the PM wants to play the "look at me, I am so sympathetic to people's pain" game, then he has to do it for all Canadian, not just those who will give him the best tweets/30 seconds TV spot.

Totally agree with everything your saying here OGBD.  I'm not wading into the good or bad on the PM argument - I think you hit the nail on the head with your statement above 100%.


That being said, there is a big difference between an LEO & a fully patched member of a biker gang - who, as a fully patched member, probably has an interesting criminal history. 

I'm not saying they matter less than LEO's or anything in the grand, spiritual experience of life.  But I can see why the PM's handlers were probably more inclined to contact & meet with the LEO families, and still thought the gesture of a supportive phone call to the other families was adequate.

I'm not siding with the PM - but most families of murder victims don't even get a phone call.  So a supportive phone call from the PM is a nice gesture, even if he meets with the families of the uniformed members who died while on duty.  I can see the optics from the civilian families though, sure - although as a fully patched member of a biker gang, I don't think he can be lumped in with 'ordinary Canadians'. 


**Just to be clear, I don't care one way or the other on this.  I truly don't.  Not a huge fan of the PM, but also try to look at things from the other side fairly also.  As I said, I don't really take a side on this either way.  Tragedy either way.

 

[211RadOp]

Court to decide whether one jury or two needed in Fredericton shooting case

By Kevin Bissett
The Canadian Press Staff

Published Monday, June 1, 2020 8:22PM ADT

FREDERICTON --A hearing will begin Aug. 17 to determine if a Fredericton man facing four counts of first-degree murder is fit to stand trial, but a judge still needs to decide whether the case will require one jury or two.

Matthew Raymond is accused of killing civilians Donnie Robichaud and Bobbie Lee Wright, and Fredericton Police constables Robb Costello and Sara Burns, on Aug. 10, 2018.

Defence lawyer Nathan Gorham told the court Monday he wants the same jury for the fitness hearing and the trial, with a delay of just a few days between the two.

Gorham has repeatedly warned that fitness "waxes and wanes," and if Raymond is found fit, the trial should proceed soon after.

Fitness means that an accused understands the charges against them and the consequences of the case, and is capable of instructing their lawyer.

Crown Prosecutor Claude Hache said he wants the trial to begin September 28 with a separate jury, allowing time to prepare the Crown's case and arrange witnesses.

More at link

https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/court-to-decide-whether-one-jury-or-two-needed-in-fredericton-shooting-case-1.4964416

 

[211RadOp]

Alleged mass shooter Matthew Raymond goes on trial today in Fredericton

The Canadian Press Staff

Contact
.Published Tuesday, September 15, 2020 7:21AM ADT

FREDERICTON --The murder trial for a Fredericton man charged in the 2018 fatal shootings of four people in the New Brunswick capital begins today.

Matthew Raymond faces four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Fredericton Police constables Robb Costello and Sara Burns as well as civilians Donnie Robichaud and Bobbie Lee Wright, on Aug. 10, 2018.

Raymond was deemed unfit to stand trial, but a jury last month reversed that decision.

A jury needed just one hour to determine Raymond is fit to instruct his defence counsel and that he understands the charges he's facing.

The same jury is being used for his murder trial.

The province has said Raymond's trial will be the first full jury trial in Canada since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and it is being held in a large convention room to allow for physical distancing.

https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/alleged-mass-shooter-matthew-raymond-goes-on-trial-today-in-fredericton-1.5105118