Stick a Fork in Senator Brazeau….

Innocent until proven guilty and all that, but things ain’t lookin’ good for the Brazman:

Senator Patrick Brazeau will be formally charged with domestic assault and sexual assault later this morning, following a brief appearance at the courthouse in Gatineau, Que.

Brazeau, who appeared in court wearing a black suit and white dress shirt, did not have his lawyer present for his first appearance at about 9:15 a.m. ET Friday.

Also (re: this):

https://twitter.com/TheBrazman/status/299396897624440832

I hope the good Senator dressed those words with ketchup before chowing down in his holding cell.

Update: Tim Harper (h/t Zerb):

In the ensuing years, each time [Brazeau] displayed a stunning lack of judgment or acted in his typically boorish and bullying manner, he took to blaming the messenger.

When Canadian Press reporter Jennifer Ditchburn reported on Brazeau’s woeful attendance record in the Senate — he was within days of being fined for his absences at the time — he took to Twitter to slag the reporter.

“Change the D to a B in your last name and we’re even! Don’t mean it but needs saying,” the juvenile Brazeau told Ditchburn on his Twitter feed.

In recent weeks, Brazeau must have seen it all coming apart.

The Star caught him mocking Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence at a Conservative fundraiser and CTV Ottawa bureau chief Robert Fife found Brazeau was allegedly gaming the system, illegally claiming his father’s house as his primary residence so he could pocket a housing allowance.

Wednesday night, hours before police responded to the disturbance at Brazeau’s home, Fife reported that the senator had allegedly listed his mailing address as that of his ex-father-in-law’s house to gain an aboriginal tax exemption and Brazeau predictably branded Fife a racist.

[…]

Somehow, Brazeau seemed to think he could simply brazen his way through all this as charge was heaped upon charge, complication was piled upon complication and his enemies proliferated.

He has invited Canadians to once again heap scorn upon a discredited institution but, in this case, Canadians have no one to blame but Harper.

Co-sign.

Kyle Payne Sentenced

by matttbastard

Lynda Waddington reports that Kyle Payne was sentenced today to 6 months in county jail:

Payne received 360 days, with 180 days suspended on each of two counts of invasion of privacy, a serious misdemeanor charge. He was also given one year of probation on each count. On the charge of 2nd degree attempted burglary, a felony, Payne received an indeterminate term of prison not to exceed five years, with incarceration suspended. He will placed on probation for three years.

In addition, under a new portion of Iowa law that involves sexually-related crimes, Payne was given a 10 year period of parole. That sentence begins at the end of his regular term of probation. Because of the nature of his crime, he will not be required to register as a sex offender in the state of Iowa.

[…]

“This is the type of thing that happens, but not to you,” said the victim as she read a pre-prepared impact statement in court today. “… You might be given jail time, but for me this is like a life sentence.”

She added that since she was unconscious, Payne is the only person who truly knows what happened that night and left the implication hanging that there might have been more to the event than him partially undressing her, touching her inappropriately and shooting photographs and video.

The victim’s mother, who also provided an impact statement in court, said that the incident had “crushed the spirit of her daughter” and has fractured her ability to trust others.

“You are a sick young man,” the mother said. “I think you’ve done this before and will do it again. Our family does not accept your apology. We do not care about your self-inflicted suffering. You reap what you sow.”

So that’s it.  Justice is served.  Cold comfort for the most important person in all this: the woman Payne victimized.

h/t Lauredhel

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Kyle Payne Update: Keep those letters coming!

by matttbastard

Cara @ The Curvature:

Sick fuck “feminist activist” and confessed sexual violator Kyle Payne will be sentenced on August 25th.

I’m letting you know this simply because letters in support of the victim are still needed.

Buena Vista County Courthouse, 215 East Fifth Street
P.O. Box 276
Storm Lake, IA 50588
Fax: 712-732-3397

I have been emailed by Darren, who said that on August 15th, he was told by the court that they had only received two letters in support of the victim. If this is true, it’s certainly disturbing and must be corrected. I know that I mailed mine last week [as did I – mb]. I’m also concerned because while I was searching to verify the fax number (yes, it’s correct), I also found the address above in numerous places, and it’s the first time I’ve seen a P.O. Box along with the address [ditto – mb]. So, for that reason I think I’m going to re-fax my letter today to make sure that they’ve received it. I don’t see how it could hurt.

Please write and fax a letter of support for the victim ASAP.

Cara also posts a sample form letter that she encourages folks to use as a creative jump-off, but please make sure to put it in your own words — this isn’t an astroturf campaign.

Recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers

Double Standards Masquerading as Mitigating Circumstances

by matttbastard

I ain’t got nuthin but yet another highball of WTF on the rocks for this one:

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority was under pressure today to give full payouts to at least 14 rape victims who had their awards cut because they had been drinking when they were attacked.

Justice minister Bridget Prentice called on the body to automatically review cases where women had been told their alcohol consumption had contributed to their fate, insisting it was not government policy to blame victims and the guidelines had been wrong applied.

Vera Baird, the solicitor general, also issued a rebuke to the authority. “It is vital CICA understand that women are not responsible for men’s criminality because they have a drink or for any other reason,” she said.

“Nobody would suggest that if someone’s wallet was stolen after having a drink then their compensation should be reduced.”

h/t Debra @ BnR

Recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers