Justice system takes 'anything but jail' approach, Abbotsford town
hall meeting told

Ed Schellenberg would likely still be alive today if the justice
system did not take an "anything but jail" approach to dealing with
criminals, his brother-in-law told a crowd attending a town hall
meeting earlier tonight in Abbotsford.

Steve Brown said two of the four people killed in the Surrey Six
slayings had "shocking criminal histories" and should have been in
jail. Instead, they were among the four that became the targets of an
alleged gang hit in which Schellenberg, 55, of Abbotsford was an
innocent bystander, along with Chris Mohan, 22.

Police believe Schellenberg and Mohan were killed because they were
potential witnesses.

Brown refers to the killings as "the Surrey four, plus two." They
occurred exactly three years ago today - on Oct. 19, 2007 - at the
Balmoral Tower apartment complex in Surrey.

Brown criticized a system that he said is more focused on
rehabilitation than punishment. He was joined in these sentiments by
fellow speakers Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich and retired
provincial court judge Wallace Craig.

"I'm convinced we're the only jurisdiction in the world that has these
prolific offenders out in the streets," Brown said.

Craig said judges in the past were "no-nonsense," but in the last 30
years they have shied away from tough sentences.

"That's what they're there for, and if they can't cut it, they
shouldn't be there. They should go do civil cases," he said.

Craig said "rampant plea bargaining" and "sweetheart deals" have
ensured that justice is not properly served for the victims of crime
and that effective deterrents to crime do not exist.

Rich said contributing to the inefficiencies is a complicated and
fragmented system in which the federal government is in charge of the
Criminal Code of Canada, while the provincial government is the
administrator.

"When you add that all up, what you have is two masters .... We have
put no one in charge of our criminal justice system," he said.

Rich said the system is "falling down under its own weight," resulting
in unbearably long delays in cases getting to court and reaching a
conclusion. Even a simple impaired charge takes an average of two days
in court, he said.

When penalties are doled out, they are not enough of a deterrent to
prevent future crimes, Rich said. He cited the example of a marijuana
grow-op able to produce an annual gross income of between $500,000 and
$1 million in an average-sized house.

A first-time offender arrested for such an operation would face a fine
of between $1,500 and $2,000, he added.

He addressed Abbotsford's gang issues and the challenge in trying to
lure kids away from a lifestyle often portrayed as a "viable career
option."

Rich specifically referred to the Abbotsford Police's latest challenge
- - the Duhre group.

"The Duhre brothers now control drugs in Abbotsford. These three
brothers are running a network of gangs in Abbotsford ... We now need
to make them a focus," he said.

Brown said he hopes the town hall meeting - held at Matsqui Centennial
Auditorium-is the start of citizens taking more control of their
rights to a free and safe society. He referred people to his Facebook
page, "My Search for Justice."

"I desire that the public take ownership and some solutions to this
important issue that we can take to the next levels of government," he
said.

Several of the more than 100 audience members said they were concerned
about the lax justice system. Some were victims of crime themselves,
while others sported T-shirts bearing the message "Revolving door
makes judges accomplices" on the front and "100% contempt for BC
judges" on the back.