Pubdate: Thu, 06 Oct 2005
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005 The Edmonton Journal
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Ryan Cormier, The Edmonton Journal
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Mayerthorpe
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

MOUNTIE KILLER NOT DANGEROUS ENOUGH: REPORT

Review Finds Roszko Didn't Meet Criteria to Be Kept Behind Bars
Indefinitely

EDMONTON - The man who gunned down four RCMP officers on a farm near
Mayerthorpe in March never met the criteria to be labelled a dangerous
offender despite his lengthy criminal record, Alberta government
sources say.

Alberta Justice will release that conclusion this afternoon as part of
a larger report on James Roszko's history with the justice system.

A dangerous-offender status for Roszko would have allowed the courts
to impose substantial sentences upon him.

However, the status is rarely applied to an offender, and a set
procedure and criteria are used to determine such a status. That
criteria includes the nature and number of offences, the health and
psychiatric state of the offender, the level of violence of their
crimes and whether or not their crimes were premeditated.

Alberta Justice's review found that Roszko didn't have an escalating
pattern and could not be put behind bars indefinitely, sources say.

Roszko's brother, John, doesn't believe the justice system knew how
dangerous his brother was and disagrees that he couldn't be classified
as a dangerous offender.

"When you threaten to kill someone, you fit that criteria," he said
Wednesday.

"When you put stolen truck parts or marijuana or anything else above
somebody's life, you fit that criteria."

If his brother didn't fit the criteria, the threshold should be
changed, John Roszko said. "We're too soft. It's frustrating."

John hadn't contacted his brother for more than a decade, but knew of
his run-ins with the law. Roszko had a lengthy string of charges
stretching from 1976 to 2004, including theft, uttering threats,
assault and sexual assault. He was convicted only a handful of times
and spent little time in jail.

Roszko, 46, shot and killed Const. Peter Schiemann, 25, Const. Brock
Myrol, 29, and Const. Leo Johnston, 32, of the Mayerthorpe detachment
and Const. Anthony Gordon, 28, of the Whitecourt detachment.

The young officers were on Roszko's farm the morning of March 3 as
part of an investigation into stolen truck parts and marijuana plants
found in his Quonset. Roszko fatally shot himself after killing the
officers.

Families of the slain Mounties have already received a copy of Alberta
Justice's report, but declined to comment on it until it is officially
released. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake