Ex-prosecutor to review Parsons cyberbully probe
HALIFAX — A former chief prosecutor in Ontario who is reviewing the Rehtaeh Parsons case says understanding the role technology played before the teenager attempted suicide will be critical in improving how Nova Scotia’s justice system handles similar cases in the future.
Murray Segal was appointed Monday by the Nova Scotia government to conduct a review of the initial investigation into Parsons’ case by police and the provincial Public Prosecution Service.
As part of the review, Segal said he’ll consider the impact technology is having on young people and their families, as well as their interaction with the justice system and police.
“I think that’s one of the critical pieces,” Segal said Monday via telephone from Toronto at a news conference in Halifax.
“I think a lot of people are struggling with the impact of technology on young people and their families and I’m hoping to learn more about that and make recommendations that may improve the justice system.”
Parsons was 17 when she was taken off life-support after attempting suicide in April. Her family alleges she was sexually assaulted by four boys in November 2011 and then bullied for months after a digital photo of the alleged assault was passed around her school in Halifax.
Two 18-year-old men are due in court Thursday to face child pornography-related charges after they were arrested last week.
Nova Scotia Justice Minister Ross Landry said adapting to ever-changing technology has been a challenge in the justice system and Segal’s review will generate a “wealth of information” that can be applied to future cases.
Parsons’ mother, Leah Parsons, wrote on Facebook that she remains disappointed by the justice system.
Segal, a former deputy attorney general in Ontario, has also been asked to determine whether the time it took to conduct the police investigation in the Parsons case was appropriate.