The Chairman of the Policing Committee for the Criminal Defence Lawyers Association says he is revolted by the actions of the Calgary Police Service during Douglas Garland’s police escort to the arrest processing unit.
In a letter addressed to CPS Chief of Police Rick Hanson and supplied to CTV Calgary, attorney Alan Pearse says Garland was unnecessarily paraded in front of the media during an extended walk from a police vehicle to the door of the building where arrest processing is conducted.
Garland, who faces murder charges in connection to the suspected deaths of five-year-old Nathan O’Brien and Nathan’s grandparents, Alvin and Kathy Liknes, was escorted to a CPS building earlier this week.
Alan Pearse says walking Garland, or any other criminal, in front of the media undermines the administration of justice and may influence potential jurors. He adds that the accused remains innocent until found guilty, no matter how heinous the charges.
The attorney, who is not Garland’s legal representative, says the fact police did not stop a reporter from incessantly asking questions of the accused during the walk is comparable to ‘putting an arrestee in stocks in a public square and letting the public throw rotten vegetables’.
Pat Knoll, a professor of law at the University of Calgary, says allowing members of the public to witness perpetrator walks may reassure citizens and lead to additional tips from the public.
“It demonstrates that police are doing their job and apprehending offenders,” said Knoll. “It can possibly generate evidence in the investigation. In some instances, although a person may see a photograph or a sketch of a person, when they see them on actual news on television that can trigger a memory.”
“It’s a possible source of evidence.”
Knoll adds perp walks may undermine the presumption of innocence, the accused may be publicly humiliated, and members of the media may view the escorted walk as an invitation to ask unsuitable questions.
Representatives with the Calgary Police Service refused to comment on Pearse’s letter.
CTV Calgary camera operators did attend and record Douglas Garland's perp walk. CTV Calgary's presence at the perp walk of a high-profile suspect is not an unusual occurrence.
