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For appellate court judge Yves-Marie Morrisette, 18 months is too harsh a sentence for Edward Hakim.
I find that strange, coming from the same man whose testimony played a huge role in the federal government’s war on tobacco advertising.
Hakim is the 21-year-old man-child whose Buick Roadster slammed into Patricia Jolicoeur as she was walking the family dog on a quiet residential street near her home. The force of the impact threw her 13 metres, shattering her skull and destroying her neural hub.
Patricia is condemned to a life sentence in a wheelchair and gurney, paralyzed, severely epileptic, tube-fed, unable to speak. She is a prisoner in her own brain and her family is condemned to serve that sentence with her.
Perhaps it’s better that Judge Morrisette has never laid eyes on Patricia. It might trigger the same anger and revulsion that causes me to write this.
It might trigger in him a need to send the message to reckless young men like Edward Hakim who drive as if life was an extension of their Grand Theft Auto gamer joysticks.
Jurisprudence and precedents be damned. Tell me, Mr. Morissette, why is reckless driving less dangerous to society than cigarette advertising?
Spare us from judges whose fear of rocking the judicial boat means nothing will ever change.
Spare us from our intellectually dishonest politicians who claim their hands are tied when it comes to traffic-calming, reduced speed limits and more cops on our roads.
And spare us from parents who think they’re doing their kids a favour by protecting them from the consequences of their monumental stupidity. Hakim Sr’s petulant scolding of the media, accusing them of killing his son, is laughable to anyone who has looked into his victim’s eyes.
Please, Mr. Hakim, spare us your patently self-serving pity party. Drop this moronic appeal, let your son serve his time and when he gets out, help him undertake to help support the Jolicoeurs any way he can.
You tell me your son didn’t even want you to appeal his sentence, but that you insisted. Question, sir: when are you going to allow your boy to become a man? |
Comments
Mr. Duff,
There are many things I could say about the wheel and deal that happened in this case, but you know most of them and so does Hakim.
They don't care about Patrica and my family and you are so right.
18 months of prison, for screwing up and destroying a family's quiet and enjoyable life, srewing up our future and our family gatherings, 18 months is absolutely nothing. When he gets out he will still have his health and be able to have a job and have kids. None of this for Patricia.
What is the message sent here? Well, that you can destroye someone's lfe and get away with it. This has to stop and I will do all I can to stop it.
These inconsederate people that look at their own little self and cover up all the screwups their kids leave behind, has to stop. You are absolutely right. When will this kids grow up? Surely not by covering up all his God Dam mistakes. That is why he got in this mess in the first place.
Lastly, I don't know why we are always dealing with Hakim Sr. Isn't Hakim jr an adult by the law. I want to deal with him, not the father.
Have a great day.
Claude Jolicoeur
Posted by: Claude jolicoeur | May 1, 2008 9:15 PM
Thank you for telling it like it is. I am sick and tired of the bleeding hearts bunch. People are getting away with horrific acts against other human beings and animals - never paying any consequences for their actions. If those of you who have read this blog are as infuriated as I am, do the right thing. Contact your MPs constantly until there is a change. THEY represent US!! And they are doing a crappy job of it!
Posted by: Susan | May 2, 2008 3:27 PM
ur an idiot duff, shut ur big fat mouth for once in ur insignificant life. Remember that every story has two sides and that u neglect that other side in every story you have EVER worked on. I happen to know this kid, and he is a damn good kid so once again stop taking cheap shots at him and his family.
Mike
Posted by: Mike McMurray | May 4, 2008 11:41 PM
Hey Mike.This "damn" good kid should go to prison.Also learn how to spell,don't they teach you that in Kindergarten.
Posted by: rob | May 5, 2008 7:54 PM
Wow thats a good one buddy, if something like this happened to you and affected you like it has him you would understand. But the truth is, no one (especially not you) can understand what Mr. Hakim is going through. I know the family personally and have had several oppurtunities to see him since the accident. He is devistated for what he has done to Ms. Jolicoeur. He is not the same person he once was and has a hard time living with himself since the horrible accident. This is a boy with true feelings of remorse and agony and the fact that he is being dragged through the media has done nothing but prevent him from dealing with the feelings he has for what he has done. I am suprised that no one can feel sypathy for a young man like Hakim. He has done something so wrong, yet feels so terrible about it. This is a young man with a futur ahead of him and the fact that he has to wake up everyday and know that he has destroyed so many lives is punishment enough. He does not deserve to go to prison and he is a good person. Of course people like Rob are so quick to judge a person for one mistake that they have made they neglect the good things he/she has done in their life. I assure you that if you were in Ed's shoes right now, you would understand why he does not deserve any prison time. Everyone makes mistakes in their life Rob, some are bigger than others but in the end things unfold as they should and you find out that there is no such thing in this world as justice. Even if Ed got 10 years in jail it would not be enough for Mr' Jolicoeur. And, regardless of how much time Ed gets he will always carry around the guilt and shame of what he did. Regardless of what happens to him, nothing can bring this girl back to life.
Posted by: Mike | May 6, 2008 10:58 PM
I think that as a society, as a whole, we need to relook at what is important, here we have an 21 year old man - who has made a huge mistake, he will and must pay - but do we ruin his life as well or do we hope he learns from this - that we all learn from this, I hope we do, my point is that we are discussing this incident and we really need to focus on other important matterS such as WHY DO MOLESTERS GET THE SAME TIME AS THIS YOUNG MAN DID - WHAT ARE OUR PRORITIES WHEN MEN CAN RAPE CHILDREN OVER AND OVER AND GET 2 YEARS, BUT IF YOU ROB A BANK 5-10 YEARS, WHY? IN MY VIEW WE HAVE LOST TOTAL VIEW OF WHAT IS IMPORTANT - FAMILY - FRIENDS - NEIGHBOURS- HUMANITY NOT THE ALL MIGHTY $$$$
THANK YOU
Posted by: scott | May 7, 2008 12:48 PM