Karla Holmolka

Yesterday a judge in Quebec struck down 14 court ordered conditions of here release from jail. Of course, Karla was in jail for her participation in the sex slayings of two Ontario schoolgirls. We all know the story so I will not re-hash it but I have a problem with this way she is being treated.

Karla is obviously one sick bitch. There are so many other words to describe her but I think I have made my point. Anyone who can serve up their sister to a serial rapist/killer is a not deserving of our sympathy but she is being treated unfairly by having to have all sorts of conditions set on her release.

Here is my problem. She made a deal with the Crown on sentencing and we as a society must stick to the deal. Was the deal a terrible? Absolutely, but she has served her time and should be set free. Is she reformed? Probably not, but the Charter of Rights applies even to the worst of Canadian humanity. Where do we draw the line? Can we make deals with drug dealers to get drug lords of the street? Why not. But what happens if we cancel the deals as soon as we get what we want? There is no incentive for a criminal to turn in partners or bosses that may be worse people.

Is Karla worse than her husband, Paul Bernardo? Maybe. After all she did play a part in her sisters death and she welcomed company into her home while one of the teenage victims lay encased in concrete in the basement of her house. But this does not mean that we as a society should tear up a deal we made with her to ensure her husband was convicted of the brutal crimes he was charged with.

I suppose that in a perfect world Holmolka could be locked up forever and we would never her about her again. With any luck, this will still occur as she settles into her life and never, ever breaks any law again. Is it fair to the families she and Bernardo affected? No, but we have to live with it.

What if she kills again? It seems unlikely but if she does, Holmolka should be charged and tried as the citizen she has been released to be. Will there be regrets? Absolutely, but it is the price we all must pay for a free and open society.