[DannyV]

Brandon hall arsonist pleads guilty

From: The Sil

The Brandon Hall arsonist, Emerson Pardoe, has pleaded guilty to the charge of Arson Endangering Property, in connection with the Oct. 18, 2008 fire at Brandon Hall residence. He admitted to being under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time of the crime. A second Arson-related count against him has been dropped.

From: The Hamilton Spectator

November 27, 2009
Wade Hemsworth
The Hamilton Spectator

The man who set fire to his own McMaster University residence building last year has pleaded guilty to arson endangering human life.

Emerson Pardoe was a 19-year-old first-year geography student on Oct. 18, 2008, when he set a pile of newspapers on fire in the elevator he was riding to the third floor of Brandon Hall, where he lived.

Nearly everyone else in the building was asleep at the time.

Within minutes, smoke and flames were spreading through the 11-storey tower, causing an estimated $3 million in damage, sending four students to hospital and forcing the university to find several weeks’ worth of hotel accommodations for 580 students who were forced out until the damage could be repaired.

Pardoe, who had told police he didn’t mean to hurt anyone, pleaded guilty to the crime in Ontario Court today, and is to return for sentencing Jan. 26.

For those who care to know..

November 27, 2009
Wade Hemsworth
The Hamilton Spectator
The man who set fire to his own McMaster University residence building last year has pleaded guilty to arson endangering human life.

Emerson Pardoe was a 19-year-old first-year geography student on Oct. 18, 2008, when he set a pile of newspapers on fire in the elevator he was riding to the third floor of Brandon Hall, where he lived.

Nearly everyone else in the building was asleep at the time.

Within minutes, smoke and flames were spreading through the 11-storey tower, causing an estimated $3 million in damage, sending four students to hospital and forcing the university to find several weeks’ worth of hotel accommodations for 580 students who were forced out until the damage could be repaired


Pardoe, who had told police he didn’t mean to hurt anyone, pleaded guilty to the crime in Ontario Court today, and is to return for sentencing Jan. 26.
.

Justice has been served..Finally..

Originally Posted by kenvin100

Justice has been served..Finally..

Well, we'll see after sentencing...

let the trail finish first. Hopefully they give him what he deserves

Legal drinking age should be 24

Wow. I'm surprised he pled guilty. We will see what happens from here on in though. What are his charges though...?

Originally Posted by feonateresa

Wow. I'm surprised he pled guilty.

If TV has taught me anything, that usually leads to a lesser sentence. And if the news has taught me anything... the Canadian justice system will let this guy off with 3 months probation or something.

Sigh.

He was originally charged with Arson Endangering Human Life, and Arson Endangering Property. That doesn't mean he plead guilty to both though. I would like to find an article that gives more detail.

So, the article in the Silhouette says he plead guilty to Arson Endangering Property, but the article in the Spectator says he plead guilty to Arson Endangering Human Life. The distinction is important, because as you can imagine, Arson Endangering Human Life carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under section 433 of the Criminal Code of Canada, whereas Arson Endangering Property has a maximum sentence of 14 years.

That being said, I have to agree with DavidR. In the Canadian Justice System, he will likely get a minimal sentence for having plead guilty. Having lived in Brandon for the two years immediately preceding the fire, I will be attending the sentencing hearing to see the results.

He'll most likely get a year or two's probation. Be pretty wrong if he went to jail actually... sounds like he was just being really stupid and it got out of hand, he prbly deserves a second chance at life.

Originally Posted by maverick1990

He'll most likely get a year or two's probation. Be pretty wrong if he went to jail actually... sounds like he was just being really stupid and it got out of hand, he prbly deserves a second chance at life.

I have to disagree with you on that. The kind of "really stupid" that ends with you spending a night in the drunk tank definitely deserves a second chance. The kind of "really stupid" that puts 550 students out of their homes for months is the same kind of "really stupid" that people of that nature are likely to repeat. What kind of clown thinks it's funny to light a residence on fire?

Just to clarify my point... I don't think he should rot in jail for the rest of his life. But I do think that a slap on the wrist sends the wrong message. There needs to be an acceptable compromise between the two options. I suppose we will see when January 26th rolls around.

It's not even just the displacement of 550 students. 4 people were injured. While no one died, it's quite possible somebody could have. I think he definitely deserves to go to jail, and for a while. This is what is messed up with our system, these criminals (yes, he is a criminal) get off way too easy. Can you imagine how the parents, family and friends of these students feel? I'm sure they're rooting for a heavy sentence.

Agreed. Risking lives like that is totally reckless. Some people need to re-assess their ideas of fun.

Ya ur def rite and Id probably feel differently if I was closer to it but i unno just the fact that he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol something dumb like setting fire to a bunch of newspapers seems like a good idea even tho obviously its not and now bcuz of one thing the guys prbly depressed and miserable. I'm just saying I wouldnt mind seeing him get SOME leniency....