Pubdate: Sat, 26 Jan 2013
Source: Windsor Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2013 The Windsor Star
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/501
Author: Trevor Wilhelm
Page: A2

DRUG DEALER DENIED COMPENSATION

Claimed he was beaten with bat and stabbed

Crime doesn't pay, and for drug dealer Gregory Hunter, neither does
the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

After Hunter went to his socalled friend's house to buy OxyContin and
resell it - then ended up beaten and stabbed - he asked the board
Friday for a pain and suffering payout. They denied his claim.

Despite that, Hunter, with his mom at his side, gave a harrowing
description Friday of his friend's doublecross.

"Two hands over his head, hitting me in the head with a baseball bat,
another five times, six times," said Hunter, 42, who made money as a
drug dealer and under-the-table construction worker.

The board holds hearings in Windsor for one week every few months.
Board members typically hear about 18 cases each week in Windsor, or
about 100 a year. It's not clear how much money the board has given
out in Windsor. But in 2011-2012 the board awarded $36.2 million to
victims at 3,944 hearings across Ontario.

On Friday, the board didn't dispute that Hunter's friend beat him with
a baseball bat and stabbed him with a folding knife. But they still
didn't believe that entitled him to compensation because he was
"unreliable and not credible."

On May 28, 2008 he went to see his friend, referred to as Neil, with
$3,000 to buy 200 OxyContin pills.

"He was a good friend, I had thought," said Hunter.

The plan was to meet another one of Neil's friends, who had the
Oxy.

Hunter pulled into Neil's driveway. Neil told Hunter to pull into the
back alley. They made small talk in the backyard. The third guy didn't
show up.

More time passed. Still no drug dealer.

"Finally I said your buddy's not showing up so I'm gonna leave," said
Hunter.

"I turned around to walk away and bam, I got hit in the back of the
head." Hunter said he was dazed.

"He came back and he hit me across the face with a baseball
bat."

Hunter fell face down on the ground. Neil came at him again, smacking
him repeatedly across his head and back with the bat. Hunter said he
grabbed the bat. The two struggled.

"I wasn't letting go," said Hunter. "I figured he was trying to kill
me."

They both ended up on the ground. Neil was up first, holding a big
knife.

Hunter said his friend stabbed him twice in the chest and twice in the
face.

Then Neil took his coat off.

"He got behind me and wrapped it around my face," said Hunter. "He
pushed me to the ground. He was suffocating me with his coat."

Hunter said he pretended to fall unconscious. When Neil loosened his
grip, Hunter said he broke free and tried to flee. Neil cut him off.

Then Neil's wife came out screaming at them to stop. Hunter sat on the
back porch. They briefly argued about who would call paramedics before
Hunter got into his Jeep and drove to the hospital.

In the hospital, police asked Hunter what he was doing with $3,000. He
told them he was buying a stereo. Windsor police Staff Sgt. Mark
Denonville said Hunter wasn't upfront about other things.

Adjudicator Keith Forde said Hunter, as a drug dealer looking to make
a score, was responsible for putting himself at risk.

"We cannot see how we could justify giving you any compensation," said
Forde.
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