Steven Truscott, A free man essays

Steven Truscott, A free man essays Many Canadian citizens take some of their fundamental rights for granted, especially those dealing with the criminal aspect. Today, when people are accused or arrested, they are guaranteed the right to consult a lawyer before giving a statement. With children, even more precaution is taken when they are accused of a crime. A parent or lawyer must be present at time of questioning, unless a statement is voluntarily given by the youth. Canada only adopted the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in1982. Even though the Bill of Rights was implemented, it was not clear in the rights of minors. Any cases involving youths prior to this time were subjected to the authoritys own interpretation of what the accused should be guaranteed. The pivotal 1959 Clinton Air Force cover-up that wrongly implicated Steven Truscott for the rape and strangulation of a twelve-year-old girl, Lynne Harper, is a perfect example of a case where the authorities abused their power, and it is evident through the way the investigation was handled, the violations of Truscotts rights, as well as disregard for the pursuit of truth. The investigation was handled poorly, as there were many statements overlooked and some even altered. A search party member discovered a raped and strangled body, which was later identified as Lynne Harper. The last person known to have seen Harper alive was a fourteen-year-old boy, Steven Truscott. He maintained that on a Wednesday evening he gave Harper a ride out to Highway 8 on his bicycle, so that she could look at some ponies. This statement is very significant because due to time restrictions, there is no way that Truscott could have brought Harper all the way out to Highway 8, manage to kill her, then make it home by 8:00 that evening where he was seen by his parents. Truscott also stated that after he dropped Harper off he rode down the road, looked back, and saw her climb into a grey 1959 Chevrolet. This is...