Karla and Justice!

Ten years ago, near St. Catherines, Ontario, Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo hunted teenage girls, raped and chopped them. It sounds awfully gruesome, but the truth is that they worked very well together as a married couple and team.

They even video-taped their own criminal actions. Paul Bernardo was sentenced to prison for life, but Karla was offered a break when she gave up the tapes that helped convicting Paul. I can never tell who is the worse criminal between the two, but Paul will be in jail with no chance of parole and Karla is being released after 10 years.

It’s been reported that she has been an excellent inmate, completed all her therapy sessions, even graduated with a degree in Psychology from Queen’s University through correspondence. Her IQ score is near genius!

The public is in fear. Some psychologists believe that “you can never cure a psychopath, especially a very intelligent one”. The experts say that there is great chance of re-offending if she is in contact with a male psychopath like Paul. She has been banned from contacting convicts, going back to her home town and spending time in close vicinity of children after her release. Would that be good enough?

People like Lysiane Gagnon say that even Karla deserves justice. “I'm not sure this is fair, unless one believes that some human beings should not be given a second chance.” She writes on Today’s Globe and Mail. “As far as the justice system is concerned, she did her time and paid her dues.”

There is no death penalty in Canada and the Correctional Services believes in rehabilitation. Although Ms. Gagnon says “sure, she should have spent more time in jail, but the only culprit in this miscarriage of justice is the lawyer who stupidly hid the videotapes”. She believes that Karla has a right to live a decent life.

I will never defend the death penalty, but did she think that her victims had the right to a half-decent life? Why are we all of a sudden standing up for her rights? Something deep inside me says that she has no rights!

“In the name of justice, law and order, we should respect her right to a second chance”, you can argue.

“This view will certainly horrify many readers. But I believe the hysteria about crime has gone too far. Of course one sympathizes with the horrible plight of the victims' families, but they shouldn't be allowed to call the shots. Revenge is the antithesis of justice. This is why civilized societies forbid lynching and mob trials” Ms. Gagnon writes in Toda’s Globe and Mail.

There is something about Karla’s release and her right to a decent life that doesn’t feel like justice. Am I being too emotional or our justice system needs a review?