Steven Truscott, A free man
Many Canadian citizens take some of their fundamental rights for granted, especially those dealing with the criminal aspect. Today, when people are accused or arrested, they are guaranteed the right to consult a lawyer before giving a statement. With children, even more precaution is taken when they are accused of a crime. A parent or lawyer must be present at time of questioning, unless a statement is voluntarily given by the youth. Canada only adopted the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in1982. Even though the Bill of Rights was implemented, it was not clear in the rights of minors. Any cases involving youths prior to this time were subjected to the authority's own interpretation of what the accused should be guaranteed. The pivotal 1959 Clinton Air Force cover-up that wrongly implicated Steven Truscott for the rape and strangulation of a twelve-year-old girl, Lynne Harper, is a perfect example of a case where the authorities abused their power, and it is evident through the way the investigation was handled, the violations of Truscott's rights, as well as disregard for the pursuit of truth. The investigation was handled poorly, as there were many statements overlooked and some even altered. A search party member di
Significant statements such as the one made by a twelve-year old boy, named Gord Logan, affirmed that he saw Harper and Truscott ride over the bridge in the direction of Highway 8. Truscott contends he then made his way home and that was the last time he had any contact with Harper. Truscott was taken in by the police and not officially arrested, he was not even told of his charge until intense interrogation. One of the main reasons for the authorities and the justice system is so that the truth can be established out about certain situations. Needless to say the judge got Kalachuck off, with a stern warning. The ironic thing is that Logan reported his story of seeing Harper before her body was found. His poem was so influential that it played a part in the abolishment of the death penalty:The cell is lonelyThe cell is coldOctober is youngBut the boy is old;Too old to cringeAnd too old to cryThough young --But never too young to die. The perversion of the justice system was directly related to the unacceptable disregard of Truscott's rights. When a high profile violent crime takes place, usually, the investigators exhaust every possible avenue. Steven Truscott was seen by his family and friends directly after the murder and even the next day. If it was in fact a conspiracy between the boys, being only nine, twelve, and fourteen: their minds would have to be very developed and imaginative. Still, while Graham had not strictly violated any laws, he seemed to forget that the police had not told Steven he was a "prisoner" or even officially a suspect. This rendered Truscott's appeal ineffective, as he was unable to have the court hear Pennister's alterations to his report. His sentence was commuted to life in prison after strong public support, coupled with a poem written by Pierre Berton that attacked the credibility of the death sentence.
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Acceptance Essays
