So-called ‘ justice’

Re: Professor Calls For Inquiry In Doucet Case, June 24. As pointed out by reporter Brian Hutchinson, this case (where a woman was absolved of twice trying to arrange for her husband’s murder) is really leaving quite a legal mess.

I lived next door to that man, Mike Ryan, in Kentville, N.S., from July 2007 to 2009. He was a great neighbour. He was always very patient with my husband who had Alzheimer’s and was very helpful to me when I needed assistance. After storms and the like, Mike was always very quick to help his neighbours, especially the seniors, and often had things repaired for them before they noticed them themselves.

Of his situation with his wife, Nicole doucet, he would only say there were “some issues between them.” Later, after they fully separated and his daughter lived with him, Mike always seemed loving toward her. She seemed happier then. I am glad to hear that he and his fiancée been able to continue to give her a good home and some stability while this legal storm was taking place.

Audrey Lawrence, Ottawa. That both Nova Scotia’s Supreme Court Justice Farrar and Nova Scotia’s Court of Appeal upheld Nicole doucet’s acquittal is in itself very troubling. The decision of the Supreme Court of Canada to order a stay of proceedings is even more troubling, given the evidence before the court.

It seems as if all levels of the justice system in this case thrived on frivolous complexity, incoherence and stupidity. Had roles been reversed, Michael Ryan would undoubtedly be serving time for counselling to commit murder by offering money to an undercover RCMP officer to murder his ex-wife.

Paul Kennedy, Cochrane, Alta. Re: Rape Is Not Sex, letter to the editor, June 22. Letter-writer Missy Hecker laments, “Of all crimes, only rape comes with constant victim blaming.” Nonsense. The day this letter appeared, the National Post’s front-page story described the case of Mike Ryan, the intended victim of a murder plot by his ex-wife. In that case, Mr. Ryan was the subject of highly questionable claims of abuse by the suspect. I agree with Ms. Hecker that victim blaming is distasteful, but let’s not pretend that rape is the only crime where this occurs.

Matt Watson, North Bay, Ont.