RCMP SET TO PULL WITNESS'S SUPPORT

Force 'Very Close' To Cancelling Convicted Murderer's Benefits, But
Not Secret Identity

The RCMP is set to terminate witness protection provisions for a man
convicted of murder after he testified in a drug case and entered the
program, but his new identity will remain secret.

A senior RCMP officer told MPs yesterday the Mounties are "very, very
close" to finalizing the withdrawal of witness support for Richard
Young, the man's identity before he gave what turned out to be false testimony.

But guarantees under the Witness Protection Act, as well as
protection of the integrity of the witness program, prevent
disclosure of his new identity, said Chief Supt. Derek Ogden.

Supt. Ogden said Mr. Young has been notified of his expulsion from
the program -- which includes possible support for family and
relatives -- and the termination will be complete once a possible
appeal is concluded.

"I can say the termination process with Mr. Young is in process, but
it's not finalized," Supt. Ogden told the Commons public safety committee.

The committee launched an inquiry into the case after the Citizen
reported Mr. Young sold the RCMP false information about a suspected
drug dealer, resulting in the collapse of the court case against the
dealer, and was subsequently convicted of murder while living under
an assumed name in the witness program.

But Supt. Ogden -- who told the committee the Citizen story prompted
an internal review of Mr. Young's case -- surprised MPs when he said
no one could have expected the informant to kill someone.

"I'm absolutely 100-per-cent convinced that nobody would have been
able to predict what happened in that case," he said after earlier
promising the committee it will receive a copy of the report from the
internal review by next week.

"I think I would be shocked if any of the committee members came to
any other conclusion once you see the report out of British
Columbia," Supt. Ogden said.

"You'll see the history on this person and I think it would have been
impossible to predict any type of behaviour anywhere near that."

Supt. Ogden and David Bird, a lawyer with RCMP legal services, told
the committee Mr. Young has not been the only witness in the program
to be convicted of a criminal offence while under police protection
and support.

Of about 1,000 individuals in the program between 2004 and 2007 --
including roughly 300 family members also receiving protection and
support -- nine were terminated from the program after being
convicted of criminal offences.

In the nine cases, the Witness Protection Act prevented the police
from disclosing original identities, except to police investigators
and in secret to courts, Supt. Ogden said.

Witnesses whose protection is terminated lose financial support,
including possible monthly pay and rent, and other assistance.

A Victoria lawyer who says he was a victim of RCMP subterfuge in Mr.
Young's case has called on the Mounties to reveal Mr. Young's new
identity regardless of the act.

Lawyer Tom Bulmer at one time represented Barry Liu, the drug dealer
Mr. Young was paid to monitor. Mr. Bulmer was unaware Mr. Young was
working for the Mounties when he became a liaison between Mr. Liu and
Mr. Bulmer.