“Vigilante grocer” David Chen should have stayed behind the counter and not tackled the career criminal, crack addict who had stolen from him, the Crown says.
Chen used excessive force in beating,(came out in trial the "victim's" thumb was hurt during take down.) tying up and throwing the petty thief into the back of a van, the prosecution states in a court document obtained by the Sun.
“Citizens no longer have a legal duty to apprehend felons pursuant to ‘hue and cry.’ Instead, we rely on and expect the police to fulfil their statutory duty to enforce the law and frown upon citizens pursuing ‘vigilante’ justice,” states the Crown in written arguments opposing Chen’s constitutional challenge of the powers of citizen’s arrest.
The message is clear do NOT do for yourself what the tax eaters are paid to do, they are increasingly the "only ones" with rights. you have a right to wait for them to show up like over glorified ineffectual Molly Maids.
For those of you not familiar with the case, here’s a capsule summary: Chen runs a small grocery store called the Lucky Moose Food Mart in Toronto’s Chinatown. In May 2009 a local thief, who had shoplifted some plants earlier in the day, returned to the store. Chen recognized him, gave chase, and — with some help — bundled him into the back of a van while police were called. Rather than thank him for his civic-mindedness, the cops charged Chen with assault and unlawful confinement while the thief got a reduced sentence after agreeing to testify against him.
And an analysis if the situation I tend to agree with:
Prosecutors in this case are demonstrating how detached the criminal-justice establishment has become from the citizenry. They are showing how deep the divide is between the elites and ordinary Canadians.
Rather than being our voices and surrogates -- which is what they are supposed to be -- they have become participants in a social experiment. Police brass, prosecutors, judges and jailors are no longer our guardians, but rather now see themselves as guardians of "the system." And since ordinary citizens' discontent with the system can be as big a threat to it as petty thieves like Anthony Bennett, we the people are just as likely to feel the wrath of prosecutors as are the Bennetts of the world.
Two weeks ago in an Ottawa court a "uncle" was sentenced after being convicted of sexually molesting his niece over a period of three years, the abused ceased when the niece was 15 and finally told her family.
His sentence for her three years in hell and the over 1 and 1/2 years wait to trial where he was out on bail? 30 days, to take place on weekends only, 18 months probation and his name on a sex registry that no one but the police can access. (wow that'll learn them eh?)
And what did my daughter's friend and family learn form this whole episode? Why the hell did they even bother to put their brave child thru this further abuse by the system? No one associated with this family has much faith in the system, nor should they, people become fatigued trying to pretend that there is any form of justice in this country.
They call this clerk a vigilante? I am surprised there has not been a serious case of vigilante justice in Canada. They, the "only ones" have no idea of the simmering anger of the population and the injustice system is setting the stage.......
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