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.

wtf

His stupidity nearly cost 580 people their life. If memory serves 4 people went to hospital because of his recklessness.

Do you give the impaired driver who was being really stupid a second chance after they crash into an innocent family? Do you go easy on the guy who pulls a gun in a moment of weakness???

What if the 2 jack asses who pulled guns on the correctional officers say they did it in a moment of stupidity and weakness- do they get a second chance??

This guy deserves to goto jail for a long time. There is no other place for him.

Originally Posted by dabulls

wtf

His stupidity nearly cost 580 people their life. If memory serves 4 people went to hospital because of his recklessness.

Do you give the impaired driver who was being really stupid a second chance after they crash into an innocent family? Do you go easy on the guy who pulls a gun in a moment of weakness???

What if the 2 jack asses who pulled guns on the correctional officers say they did it in a moment of stupidity and weakness- do they get a second chance??

This guy deserves to goto jail for a long time. There is no other place for him.

The legal system in Canada is not that strict. Research some other cases and see how easy drunk drivers, criminals, etc. get off. There are many repeat offenders walking around and driving their cars drunk. And Canada has this weird thing where they give criminals points for time served so they get out early.
I wouldn't count on him getting anything more than probation, unless the judge wants to set some precendent.

Originally Posted by jo87

The legal system in Canada is not that strict. Research some other cases and see how easy drunk drivers, criminals, etc. get off. There are many repeat offenders walking around and driving their cars drunk. And Canada has this weird thing where they give criminals points for time served so they get out early.
I wouldn't count on him getting anything more than probation, unless the judge wants to set some precendent.

I'm not saying he is going to goto jail. I am saying he should goto jail.

I am well versed in the legal system. Arson endangering life is looked at pretty heinously. Plus the fact, the insurance claim was in the millions of dollars in damage which will all be considered.

I gamble from time to time- I'd say it's a good bet that Mr. Pardoe will see a few months in jail.

Originally Posted by jo87

The legal system in Canada is not that strict. Research some other cases and see how easy drunk drivers, criminals, etc. get off. There are many repeat offenders walking around and driving their cars drunk. And Canada has this weird thing where they give criminals points for time served so they get out early.
I wouldn't count on him getting anything more than probation, unless the judge wants to set some precendent.

Also the Supreme Court has also recently decided that the practice of criminals getting 2 for one credit for time served is not right. Now they only get 1:1 pretrial credit.

Also, the arsonist was released - he wasn't held awaiting trial from what i recall.

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 agree, kind of. I don't think he should get off scot-free, but I don't think he should get 14-25 years in prison.

Originally Posted by Afzal

Legal drinking age should be 24

Wouldn't change a thing. This is a naive thought.

Okay, but at the same time, what if someone had died? What if multiple people died? That would change things right? It wouldn't have changed his actions.
Just because he was/might have been drunk, does NOT mean he should get a lighter sentence. That's just f-ed up if you ask me.

Originally Posted by feonateresa

Okay, but at the same time, what if someone had died? What if multiple people died? That would change things right? It wouldn't have changed his actions.
Just because he was/might have been drunk, does NOT mean he should get a lighter sentence. That's just f-ed up if you ask me.

well duh. He would be charged with 1st degree murder. If anything they'll make it worse for him because he was under the influence.

didnt he actually set 2 fires that night?.. i heard he set a poster on fire earlier on in the night but someone put it out...

I completely disagree that he should go to jail (especially for 14 years). He made a mistake! Yes, it was an extremely silly, stupid, dense thing to do, but nonetheless, it was a mistake. He caused $3 million dollars in damage and caused 580 people to find temporary homes, but that wasn’t his intend. I’m sure he didn’t think that his actions would end up sending 4 people to the hospital. He could have killed someone, but he didn’t. He wasn’t thinking of the consequences...plain and simple. For the past year, he has been ridiculed and kicked out of school. I am pretty sure that no other university will accept him. He has a criminal record and will now have a hard time getting a job. He has already wasted a year of his life. It was a mistake and I doubt he will do anything like that again. It seems like he has learned that his actions can have grave consequences....he doesn’t deserve to go to jail for 14 years.

I am sure everyone has done something silly before (although not to this scale). Maybe I am just naive and I want to believe in the good in people, but I don’t think he is “likely to repeat”. I think everyone deserves a second chance.

just because he made a mistake and didn't intend for what happened, doesn't mean he should get off. there are some things(ie endangering hundreds of peoples lives) that there are severe consequences for, and that simply don't deserve a second chance. i definitely think it should be taken into account that he wasn't trying to hurt people, but he still deserves to go jail for a significant amount of time.

As someone who lived in Brandon Hall last year, have talked to him randomly a few times and also been present when the fire took places, I am planning on attending the sentencing. Thank god I was with friends in the common room at the time or who knows what would have happened. If I was sleeping in my own room I doubt I would have woken up because of my sleeping problems. I would have been sleeping right through the fire. Most of all I am glad that no one was fatally injured in the fire.

He screwed up big time and put the lives of hundreds of students at risk. There was also the emotional aspect of the incident, plus all the damages and costs associated. Not only that but there were people that were injured in the fire. There are also multiple inconveniences that were caused by the fire. He definitely deserves to be punished for the incident but I feel like it shouldn't be anything too extreme. I believe about five to seven years should be enough. The fact that he's a young guy will definitely get him a lower sentence. Regardless, the biggest punishment will be the fact that the incident will carry on with him for the rest of his life. That means he'll have trouble going to school, getting a job, etc. for the rest of his life. That will be his ultimate punishment in the end.

Hopefully nothing like this ever happens again at McMaster.

He can have a second chance, once he is out of jail. He willfully endangered the lives of 580 residents plus their guests. Whether he considered that at the time of the offence is irrelevant

I do think his intent should be considered in sentencing. If he is genuinely remorseful, do you honestly think he is going to a be a repeat offender?

I know when something bad like this happens, everyone lets emotion take over rational thought, but is putting someone in jail for the rest of their life honestly a good thing if there is a decent chance they will turn their life around? How does this contribute to the greater good of society? Whats harm has been done has already been done.

The goal of the criminal justice system should not be revenge, or retribution. It should be the protection of the innocent form those who mean to do them harm, and if there is reason to believe that this person will not do further harm, I dont think imprisoning him for the rest of his life is really a smart course of action.

I say this, however, not knowing his intent. If he is in fact a pathological arsonist with an intent to harm and do damage, of course he should not be permitted to participate in society. But if he's just someone who made a stupid mistake, then honestly what good is giving him such a harsh sentencing going to do?

Originally Posted by rrtt

I completely disagree that he should go to jail (especially for 14 years). He made a mistake! Yes, it was an extremely silly, stupid, dense thing to do, but nonetheless, it was a mistake. He caused $3 million dollars in damage and caused 580 people to find temporary homes, but that wasn’t his intend. I’m sure he didn’t think that his actions would end up sending 4 people to the hospital. He could have killed someone, but he didn’t. He wasn’t thinking of the consequences...plain and simple. For the past year, he has been ridiculed and kicked out of school. I am pretty sure that no other university will accept him. He has a criminal record and will now have a hard time getting a job. He has already wasted a year of his life. It was a mistake and I doubt he will do anything like that again. It seems like he has learned that his actions can have grave consequences....he doesn’t deserve to go to jail for 14 years.

I am sure everyone has done something silly before (although not to this scale). Maybe I am just naive and I want to believe in the good in people, but I don’t think he is “likely to repeat”. I think everyone deserves a second chance.

I have a really hard time seeing this as a mistake. I have never been drunk enough in my life to think that setting a fire inside a building is a good idea, let alone in a building which houses more than 500 people. This kid is lucky he didn't kill anyone.