BABAK

It has now been three days since @TPSOperations let Daijohn Richards leave a hospital after questioning with a gunshot wound to his shoulder. Richards is one of three armed and dangerous suspects still at large following last week's violent Bridle Path home invasion. Richards is now facing fourteen charges: • Four counts of Discharge Firearm with Intent to Wound • Four counts of Robbery with a Firearm • Three counts of Aggravated Assault • One count of Break and Enter Commit / Dwelling-House • One count of Possess Prohibited Device • One count of Disguise with Intent In 2021 when he was an eighteen-year-old, Richards was arrested alongside four others in a Thunder Bay drug raid. He was charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking. The details of the trial and sentencing could not be retrieved. Criminological data demonstrate that some groups commit vastly disproportionate higher rates of crime than others. The victims of these crimes are usually within the communities of the perpetrators. Many Canadians don't know that we have two-tier, race-based sentencing in some Canadian provinces to "correct" the higher incaration rates of certain offenders. Judges must take into account Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs) if they are provided to the courts. IRCAs were first introduced by social workers in Nova Scotia, specifically for black offenders. Shortly thereafter, criminal defence lawyers in Ontario began producing them at their own cost. IRCAs have expanded to effectively include everyone who isn't white (indigenous perpetrators can receive preferential sentencing through the Gladue/Ipeelee framework.) In 2021, the Liberals committed to over $6M in funding for IRCAs. It is now up to $16M over five years. However, while criminal law is federal, provinces control court funding and administration. Not all defendants get IRCAs. Whether or not to ask for one is at the discretion of the defence lawyer. Ontario Legal Aid only funds an IRCA if the defendant ia facing a lengthy sentence. Moreover, some provinces have suspended or rejected federal funding for IRCAs as part of their administrative costs. Ontario and Nova Scotia utilize the vast majority of federally funded IRCAs, with British Columbia, Manitoba, and Newfoundland also maintaining active programs. Surprisingly, Quebec explicitly rejected federal funding, stating it does not subscribe to the concept of systemic racism. Alberta suspended its federal agreement to stall the program's administration. Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and the three territories lack agreements or the local infrastructure required to create these reports. If and when Richards and the other perpetrators are caught, pay attention to whether or not IRCAs are part of the trials.