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‘ .planrauxfltfwrmg mm An idea to change the way pulice deenhs am- pnmecum! haa garnered mixed reaction fmm lend expens. , ' And. while one pro‘i‘ewir heliin a federal majnrity gm- crnmcnt could easily change the Criminal (lode to boost penal- ties in the criminal death of an officer. wen if a chargi- were laid, others believe them would be no marked macaw in deterrence. The Criminal (Lode allow for a charge of first-degree murr der when the victim is a police officer on duty «- reyrdiess of [hat killing is premedi~ (med or um. In April. a Nematkct jury found Scarborough resident Nadeem liwa. 23. “guilty of man- slaughter for killing Ymk a] Police DetsConst. Robert Ptth in 2W7. - Mr. Jim was originally charged with manslaughter in the days after the W3 death but the chargé was later upgraded to first-deans: mmdct. «Newsme because the police believed there was the evidence to support thedtaxgeanden befieved there a reasonable pmspect of conviction.» The issue also has potential future nunifiCafions because a findâ€"degree murder [charge has beenlaidagalnstawuth'mme Dune 28 dram of (bust. (Ram-t! "me to convict on the lesser charge disappointed some in law enforcement and Heady upset the officers famiiy. at BYIOE FANTAUU! (thing: Should cop killers serve extra time? EIS not hem pmven. . In sentencing Mr. liwn, Justice Michelle Fliers! ruled the jury rejected the Scarborough mmfs daim he panicked and than accelerated his vehicle when sur- munded by police. fatally crush- ing the officer against a tree with the car. Mr. liwa was scum-tutu! tn 12 years in prison last week, which means after being given «mm on a two~fm-one basis for time in pm-senlcnu' custody. he will another four years and two months. lamcs Morton, a York Unl- vetsity law professor and past Ontario Bar Association presi- dent. doesn't believe the law should read, that any omdury death of a police olficer is tanta- mount to murder. 'lhe (Imwn’s burden in these of cases is to not only prove murder. be it fim or ond degree. but also prove the named was aware the victim was a police olBoet. Ml’. Mort-on He supports laying the applicable chime based on the 06mm. as is the one with any othm butdungtng the Criminal (lode to ensure the punishment acknowledges the viaim is a cop. That leml tactic is often used in hate-crimes cam such as the sentencing last year of Gear- gina maident 'Ii'evpr Middleton. convicted oi ramming a on: full 0f Asian-(Danadian and their into a tree. in his submissions. Cum prosecutor Amit Ghosh mum Mr. Midfie- tun's driving behaviour was. in fuelled by bias. pteiud‘ioe or hatred tamed on race. a state- ment the judge agracd with in But, another legal ‘tfxpcn. Hamishfilewan. a University of 'lhmnm assmialt- law prufewu. believes judges already use the fact a murder victim was a police officer as ‘an aggravating factor when desiglmlg a sentence. l'hc deterrent effect of the firstdegwe murder: charge and subsequent relies on the idea that the murder of a police officer lead! It) a very kmg son- lcncc, he added. "If it cannot be prawn that the offender knew the victim was a police officer. then it is not clear what additional deterrent effect an additional sentrncc would have." he said. MUS 000 OK: CHIEFS The Ontario Association of Police Chiefs believes police an) wvll by the laws and tools currently available. said president Man who is also chief of Waterloo Regional Phlice. handing down a twoâ€"ycar sen- lencc. Memlwhile. the special pm~ vision for killing police officers serves two functions. acx. ' to Ryemn Univetsity assistant professor Anne-Marie Singh: symbolic recognition of the sacrifice of an oflioer murdered while protecting society and as axdclcm‘nt to keep others fmm dning the same Him-vet, Ms Singh does not believe those who accidentally came lhcdealh of police otficrrs will be drawn! by a change in pnmm ion _ \nd d\ in! pvuplv whn imvn Ummlh mun-1 nffiwrs. those pen plc um'n dun! do .1 lot of think mg twlnrvmnd about the legal u I I, mm,“me H, mm, hon-awn” In the wake of "HS week‘s funeral for (lmst. (.arrcn Styles. an idea m _ SUN WIBUNE ‘ai WC' 5m ‘added JUSTICE change the way police deaths are pmsccuted has garnered mixed reaction