MARIJUANA USE PROBED AT 'FAINT HOPE' HEARING

Drug, alcohol abuse factor in conviction of William Head inmate
seeking parole

The extent of Philip Wilkin's marijuana use at William Head prison was
probed for a second straight day Wednesday at his ongoing "faint hope"
parole hearing.

With drug and alcohol use a key factor in Wilkin's 1983 murder of
Debra MacIntyre, Crown prosecutor Nils Jensen pressed William Head
staffers giving testimony about their knowledge of his marijuana use
at the facility.

Wilkin's lawyer, John Conroy, noted that although his client was once
found with signs of marijuana in his system through a random urine
test at William Head, the staff members testifying did not see signs
of extensive use.

Wilkin, 47, is serving a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25
years for killing MacIntyre, who he stabbed 99 times. He is applying
for parole under the "faint hope" clause of the Criminal Code, which
offers the possibility of judicial review for long-term inmates after
at least 15 years behind bars.

The case is being heard before a B.C. Supreme Court jury, which must
give unanimous approval of the parole application if it is to be
advanced to the National Parole Board for final consideration..

William Head guard Monty Giebel, who referred to Wilkin as a
trustworthy inmate, testified Wednesday that he encounters him on a
regular basis in prison and frequently checks for signs of drug use.

"I have no indication of use," he said.

Giebel said he was aware of Wilkin's positive test at the time, and
that Wilkin was honest with him when asked about it.

But Jensen pointed to previous testimony given by William Head's Ted
Eberle, who counsels inmates about substance use. Wilkin talked to
Eberle eight to 10 times about continuous use of marijuana, Jensen
said.

"Mr. Eberle paints quite a different picture," he said to
Giebel.

Wilkin is currently allowed to take a synthesized form of marijuana as
an appetite stimulant to help him deal with hepatitis C and being
HIV-positive.