Pickton Guilty Verdict Brings Some Closure; Poses Tough Questions for Future

By Stephanie Levitz And Greg Joyce, THE CANADIAN PRESS

NEW WESTMINSTER – Robert Pickton’s conviction as one of Canada’s most notorious serial killers means he’ll “never see the light of day,” but the case against him and the thorny questions it poses is guaranteed to go on for some time.

To the relief of family members who waited at the courthouse while jurors deliberated for 10 days, Pickton was convicted Sunday of six counts of second-degree murder.

Among the family members were those connected to 20 other women Pickton has been charged with murdering. Proceedings on those counts is scheduled to start next month.

But at the same time as Crown officials assured reporters that those counts would be addressed as planned, spokesman Stan Lowe and Attorney General Wally Oppal were hinting at the obstacles.

Lawyers for the Crown and defence will make sentencing submissions to Justice James Williams on Tuesday.

Second-degree murder carries a life sentence, like first-degree murder, but unlike the more serious charge, those convicted of second-degree murder may be eligible for parole in as little as 10 years.

The Crown intends to ask for no parole for 25 years.

After Tuesday, Lowe said the prosecution team will take some time off – they have worked almost non-stop on the Pickton case for the last two years – before turning their attention to the remaining 20 murder counts.

“We still have work left to do,” Lowe said.

But the speed of a second trial will depend on whether there’s an appeal, when both sides are prepared and how long pre-trial arguments take, said.

That’s if it happens.

Oppal pointedly noted that Pickton cannot serve any more than one life sentence.

“The criminal justice branch will weigh the evidence, they will weigh all the circumstances and determine whether or not it’s in the public interest to have a second trial,” the attorney general said.

“Mr. Pickton is unlikely to ever see the light of day again,” he said. “I can’t see him ever getting out.”

Family members gasped as jurors read not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, then there was audible relief as they read out the guilty verdicts on second-degree murder.

The families of Pickton’s other 20 alleged victims are adamant that justice should come for them.

“These are just the first few steps that will carry us to the trial of the next 20 girls,” said Lori-Ann Ellis, whose sister-in-law Cara Ellis was allegedly murdered by Pickton.

“May the path be lit by all the girls in this trial to help lead the way.”

For 10 months, the families of Pickton’s six victims anxiously watched the mammoth murder trial and then waited for a verdict.

But they say in their hearts they knew the jury felt as they did – that the former pig farmer claimed the lives of Wolfe, Mona Wilson, Georgina Papin, Marnie Frey, Andrea Joesbury and Sereena Abotsway.

“I still don’t have my sister but we have justice on her behalf,” said Brenda Wolfe’s sister Patricia Evans.

Marnie Frey’s daughter Britney let out a scream when her stepmother Lynn, who has been at the courthouse for weeks awaiting a verdict, phoned with the news.

“I’ve known all along he killed my mom,” Britney, 15, told Lynn, who herself said she was relieved at the verdict.

Frey said the verdict has given her what she always wanted – accountability and justice.

Many family members said they’ll be back Tuesday to deliver victim impact statements at Pickton’s sentencing.

Among them will be Cynthia Cardinal, Papin’s sister, who said Pickton still has a lot to answer for.

“I think he deserves to hear all our pain,” Cardinal said. “Even if he doesn’t feel anything, at least we’ve got our pain out and it’s our way of beginning to heal. We’ve got to do this.”

She said she felt her sister’s presence throughout the trial.

“I love her and I miss her,” she said, her voice breaking. “Now we can put her to rest.”

As police and lawyers filed in front of television cameras to give their reaction to the verdict, many offered their condolences and sympathies to the families of the women.

Though they cheered when lead prosecutor Mike Petrie took the podium at a news conference and several took the time to thank Insp. Don Adam, the lead investigator in the case, the words of remorse weren’t enough for everyone.

“I think that sorry, at this particular time, rings a little hollow,” said Rick Frey.

“It’s not going to stop here. We have six convictions. . . and we certainly want to go to the bottom of why are our loved ones were allowed to wallow down in the east end and be forgotten when we reported them missing.”

The families are still angry, they say, at the delays that plagued the investigation leading to the conviction, in particular the fact that no one would take their cries for help to locate them seriously.

Karin Joesbury said those cries are still going unanswered, as women continue to be victimized in the blighted neighbourhood her daughter Andrea called home.

“I just hope this makes a difference in the way people look at each other and I hope we can build ourselves a community,” she said, tears pooling mascara underneath her eyes.

“Because if they did, a lot of those women wouldn’t have been down there.”

Police have promised that once the case into the remaining charges concludes, they’ll release a full accounting of their actions in those tension-filled years.

The Crown’s evidence was among the most grisly ever aired in a Canadian courtroom and families struggled as they listened to the evidence.

But the courtroom was full Sunday when the jury returned with its verdict.

The only empty seats in the courtroom were those reserved for Pickton’s family.

Those seats have remained vacant throughout the 10-month trial.

Relatives of Wilson, Joesbury, Wolfe, Papin and Frey were all at the courthouse for the verdict but no one was present for Abotsway.

It was the view of her inhalers in a gym bag in Pickton’s trailer that kickstarted the massive police search culminating in 26 murder charges being laid against the 58-year-old.