DETAILING A KILLER'S CRIMINAL PAST

As Alberta Releases Its Report, Families Of Slain Officers Launch A
National Protest

EDMONTON -- It's been seven long months, but this week Canadians will
finally learn more about the Alberta man who murdered four young RCMP
officers at his farm on March 3.

The Alberta government is expected to release a review of James Roszko's
long, often violent, criminal record by week's end. Since the March
massacre, the Mounties' largest loss of life in 120 years, questions have
persisted about why the 46-year-old spent so little time in jail.

The frustrated families of the four dead RCMP officers aren't waiting for
those answers to start pressing for changes to the justice system.

Starting tonight, they are asking Canadians to turn on their porch or
balcony lights from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. every third day of every month until
next March. Calling it a "referendum of light," the families say they hope
the protest pushes politicians to adopt tougher sentences and paroles for
drug-related offences and a new national drug policy.

"It's for all of the frustrated Canadians who've watched this system
disintegrate to the state it's in today, where people can commit crimes and
not pay any consequences," Keith Myrol, whose son, Brock, is among the
slain officers, said yesterday.

The four officers had been investigating and securing Mr. Roszko's property
after a bailiff, who was conducting a seizure of his white 2005 Ford pickup
truck on March 2, uncovered a marijuana grow operation of 283 plants, along
with stolen auto parts.

Constables Myrol, 29, Anthony Gordon, 28, Leo Johnston, 32, and Peter
Schiemann, 25 -- who was out of uniform and unarmed -- died in the attack
near Mayerthorpe, Alta., about 130 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. Mr.
Roszko killed himself after police wounded him.

Mark Cooper, a spokesman for Alberta Justice, said the review will be an
"open book" on Mr. Roszko's criminal record, which dates back to 1976 and
includes 36 charges. He was convicted of 12.

"There were a lot of questions that came up in terms of whether this guy
fell through the cracks," Mr. Cooper said in an interview.

For example, between 1992 and 1999, Mr. Roszko was charged with a raft of
offences, including impersonating a police officer, pointing a firearm,
aggravated assault and counselling to commit murder. But he was acquitted
on all charges. In 2000, he served a 2 1/2-year sentence for sexually
assaulting a male.

The province's review of Mr. Roszko's criminal record isn't expected to
make any recommendations, according to Mr. Cooper.

A provincial fatality inquiry into the massacre is expected to be called in
the coming months. It won't begin until the RCMP's criminal investigation
into the killings concludes.

The father Constable Schiemann, Rev. Don Schiemann, said he hopes Canadians
will support the families' initiative to "bring light" to problems with the
country's justice system.

"I think there is some momentum here to make it a national issue, combined
with the fact that there is an election coming up soon," he said.

The families of the murdered officers say there were myriad issues
surrounding what happened on March 3, but they focused on a couple "so as
not to dilute the force of our message," he said.

"We have a window of opportunity. . . . It's important we get this message
out there."

Last week, there was an uproar in Ottawa, as Prime Minister Paul Martin was
accused of misleading Parliament after saying he had "long discussions"
with the officers' families.

Mr. Martin later called Mr. Schiemann to apologize for the remark.

Mr. Schiemann said the families are hoping to meet privately with the Prime
Minister this month to discuss the campaign.