Chronicle-Journal - Friday, April 4, 2008 Drug sentence too lenient
Re “Drug runner gets 18 months,” April 1.
I was shocked to see that Justice Joyce Pelletier handed down such a light sentence of 18 months to Lois McVey for running three pounds of cocaine. She could be out in just over a year on good behavior. The judge stated that she did not see McVey as a risk to the community. Here in Victoria there are 1,500 homeless drug addicted people on the street which is only the tip of the iceberg. Addiction is a huge problem fueled by people like the Hells Angels and Lois McVey and left for the government and municipalities to deal with afterwards. Any drug runner dealing with a high cost drug like that knows the penalties involved. I‘m sure they would be happy to sacrifice a year in jail standing on their heads to move $100,000 worth of product. Again the message coming from the bench to the criminal and the community is not clear here. There are young teens at risk. Citizens should speak up in their own defence.
Bev Pirie
Victoria
MY RESPONSE:
In the April 4th edition of the CJ, Bev Pirie takes issue with the sentence of a local drug runner. She states "There are young teens at risk". Sure they are, they are at risk of their OWN choices. Maybe these teens are idiots and/or maybe their parents are. We all make mistakes but we choose to make our own. The drugs are there because due to demand, not the other way around. I know someone will read this and say "if the drugs weren't available the teens would be tempted by them". This is true but does that mean if some punk breaks into my house and steals my stereo it is my fault for owning a "tempting" stereo. Besides, some people go their whole lives without taking drugs despite the fact that they are available.
Tony Gallo
