Monday, April 18, 2016

I'm Just A Poor Boy, Nobody Loves Me

That famous line from Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody might have been the inspiration, and is certainly the subtext, for James Forcillo and his lawyer's pleas that poor baby James be allowed to serve whatever sentence is passed down to the killer of Sammy Yatim as house arrest.


The officer’s acquittal on a charge of second-degree murder means his use of lethal force was justified and the mandatory minimum penalty he faces is grossly disproportionate to his conduct, his lawyers argue in written submissions filed in Ontario Superior Court.

“The moral culpability of the applicant [Constable Forcillo] is at the lowest end that can be reasonably contemplated for an attempted murder conviction and there was no attendant harm to Mr. Yatim,” writes lead defence lawyer Peter Brauti.
In analyzing the verdict and the actions of Constable Forcillo, his lawyers maintain that it is not appropriate to impose a prison sentence. “The logical and legal effect of the jury’s verdict is that they accepted it was reasonable and necessary to kill Mr. Yatim,” states Mr. Brauti. “The second volley did not accelerate death in any way; it had no meaningful impact on Mr. Yatim’s health and it was incapable of causing Mr. Yatim any pain,” he adds.

Constable Forcillo’s lawyers also intend to appeal the actual verdict, but can not do so until after the sentencing.
Incidentally, unless he goes to jail, I assume Forcillo will continue drawing his police salary, as he is now.

Since I started with Queen lyrics, I'll end with them too, again from Bohemian Rhapsody:

Essy come, easy go, will you let me go?
Bismillah! No, we will not let you go. (Let him go!)
Bismillah! We will not let you go. (Let him go!)
Bismillah! We will not let you go. (Let me go!)
Will not let you go. (Let me go!)
Never, never let you go
Never let me go, oh.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Oh, mama mia, mama mia (Mama mia, let me go.)

Come to think of it, the entire song seems applicable to Forcillo:




6 comments:

  1. The second volley was "incapable of causing Yatim pain in any way"? In its own right that is a monstrous contention and, for that, I hope the court rejects leniency for that bastard.

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    1. Sometimes I feel I've fallen down a long, long hole into a very foreign land, Mound.

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  2. Forcillo doesn't show even an ounce of regret for taking Sammy Yatims young life Lorne. Ice flows in this mans veins. He was apparently shocked at the second-degree murder verdict. I think he fully expected to be found not guilty. He really looks as if he thinks we should be feeling sorry for him. It's all about him. He deserves no leniency whatsoever, but we both know that there is a very good chance he won't.

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    1. I think, Pamela, if this man is given house arrest or a conditional sentence that will allow him to keep his job, people in Toronto should join forces with the Black Lives Matter group and stage a massive protest. As long as police can literally get away with murder, none of us is truly safe.

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  3. Killer walks like a Hollywood star in escort by provided by Police Union plain Officers. SHAME ALL THE WAY!!!!!
    HE BELONGS IN A JAIL FOR MUCH LONGER THEN 6 YEARS. Canada awake!

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